WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – With two outs in the ninth inning and Purdue Baseball trailing by a run, Brandon Anderson hit the first pitch of a lefty-lefty matchup over the 368 mark on the wall in left center for a walk-off two-run homer, lifting the Boilermakers to a 5-4 victory Friday vs. Nebraska.
Purdue (31-22, 11-17 Big Ten) won on a walk-off two-run homer in the ninth inning for the second time this season at Alexander Field.
CJ Richmond was responsible for the other walk-off blast in an April 14 victory vs. Arizona State and it was his pinch-hit double that put the tying run on base in the ninth inning Friday. The Boilermakers entered the ninth inning trailing in both wins. The 2018 campaign marked the last time Purdue had two go-ahead or game-tying home runs in the ninth inning or later in the same season. This year marks the first time the Boilermakers have hit two walk-off homers in the same season in the Alexander Field era (since 2013).
Friday's game featured a two hour and 10-minute rain delay as the tarp went on the field in the bottom of the seventh with runners on first and second base with one out. Nebraska (27-27, 14-15 Big Ten) led 4-3 at the time after a tying-breaking two-run homer by Devin Nunez in the top half of the frame.
Cole Van Assen (6 1/3 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 K) and Isaac Milburn (2 2/3 IP, H, 0 R, 4 K) teamed up to not walk a batter while limiting a Nebraska lineup that had scored 11 runs in the series opener to four tallies. It marked the fourth time this season Purdue did not issue a walk, winning all four games. Three of the four have come in the last eight games and Van Assen was the starting pitcher in three of the four overall, including game No. 2 of the season.
Milburn struck out four of the first seven batters he faced, two before the rain delay and two after. He also worked a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to help set the stage for the walk-off.
Van Assen was denied an official quality start by the home run in the seventh inning, just the second long ball he has surrendered in 67 1/3 innings. But the sophomore pitched well yet again. In his final three home starts of the season, Van Assen gave the Boilermakers 20 1/3 innings of five-run ball, racking up 17 strikeouts vs. no walks. He conceded no more than four runs in any of his final seven starts of the season dating back to April 6.
Eli Anderson had two singles and a sacrifice fly, extending his hit streak to 12 consecutive games to officially make it the longest of the season by any Boilermaker. He singled moments before the tarp went on the field in the seventh inning.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Eli Anderson: 12-game hit overall; 10-game hit in Big Ten play; 10-game on-base at home; 8-game hit at home
• Houston Russell: 11-game on-base overall; 11-game on-base in Big Ten play; 6-game on-base at home
• CJ Richmond: 11-game on-base at home
• Brandon Anderson: 9-game on-base at home
Logan Sutter led off the bottom of the fourth with Purdue's second home run to straight away center field in as many days. It was Sutter's team-leading 15th long ball of the season, moving him into a tie with Dan Black (2009) for fifth place on the program's single-season leaderboard. Black was the last Boilermaker to hit at least 15. Sutter has 136 total bases this season, third most in team history and the most by a Purdue player since 1987.
Sergio DeCello provided some excitement in the third inning, connecting for a leadoff single down the right field line. After an aggressive turn at first base, he had pulled up when the right fielder's throw sailed through the infield. DeCello slid head first into second base but was still able to scamper to third when the third baseman's throw went back into right field. Eli Anderson followed with his sac fly to left field.
Like Brandon Anderson, Richmond connected for a clutch opposite-field hit in the ninth inning. Nebraska's Cayden Brumbaugh nearly made a sprawling catch on the slicing line drive to left field. It was his second frame in the outfield after starting the game at second base.
Albert Choi was sent in to pinch run while representing the tying run. Nebraska also went to the mound for a lefty to face the left-handed hitting Andersons. Jalen Worthley retired Eli Anderson on a fly ball to left field but Brandon Anderson barreled up the first pitch he saw for his ninth home run of the season.
Lukas Cook and Ty Gill teamed up for a slick inning-ending double play with two aboard in the first inning to help Van Assen squash a potential big inning. Cook gloved a chopper behind the second base bag and made a backhanded flip to Gill on the move for the turn. Cook also had two hits at the plate, his 17th multi-hit game snapping a 2-for-20 skid that dated back to May 6.
Saturday's regular-season finale will double as Purdue's third straight weekend series rubber game this month. The Boilermakers have not played rubber games in three consecutive weekends since March 21 to April 4 of the 2021 season. The annual Senior Day ceremony is set for 1:30 p.m. ET and first pitch at 2 p.m. Seventeen Boilermakers plus four team managers will be recognized for their contributions to Purdue Baseball.
Purdue (31-22, 11-17 Big Ten) won on a walk-off two-run homer in the ninth inning for the second time this season at Alexander Field.
CJ Richmond was responsible for the other walk-off blast in an April 14 victory vs. Arizona State and it was his pinch-hit double that put the tying run on base in the ninth inning Friday. The Boilermakers entered the ninth inning trailing in both wins. The 2018 campaign marked the last time Purdue had two go-ahead or game-tying home runs in the ninth inning or later in the same season. This year marks the first time the Boilermakers have hit two walk-off homers in the same season in the Alexander Field era (since 2013).
The Swing & the Scene!! 💥@BranAnderson8 the Hero with 2 Outs in the 9th. Second walk-off HR of the season at Alexander. #BoilerUp 🚂 pic.twitter.com/g2Lo8gdp2u
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 17, 2025
Friday's game featured a two hour and 10-minute rain delay as the tarp went on the field in the bottom of the seventh with runners on first and second base with one out. Nebraska (27-27, 14-15 Big Ten) led 4-3 at the time after a tying-breaking two-run homer by Devin Nunez in the top half of the frame.
Cole Van Assen (6 1/3 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 K) and Isaac Milburn (2 2/3 IP, H, 0 R, 4 K) teamed up to not walk a batter while limiting a Nebraska lineup that had scored 11 runs in the series opener to four tallies. It marked the fourth time this season Purdue did not issue a walk, winning all four games. Three of the four have come in the last eight games and Van Assen was the starting pitcher in three of the four overall, including game No. 2 of the season.
Milburn struck out four of the first seven batters he faced, two before the rain delay and two after. He also worked a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to help set the stage for the walk-off.
Van Assen was denied an official quality start by the home run in the seventh inning, just the second long ball he has surrendered in 67 1/3 innings. But the sophomore pitched well yet again. In his final three home starts of the season, Van Assen gave the Boilermakers 20 1/3 innings of five-run ball, racking up 17 strikeouts vs. no walks. He conceded no more than four runs in any of his final seven starts of the season dating back to April 6.
Eli Anderson had two singles and a sacrifice fly, extending his hit streak to 12 consecutive games to officially make it the longest of the season by any Boilermaker. He singled moments before the tarp went on the field in the seventh inning.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Eli Anderson: 12-game hit overall; 10-game hit in Big Ten play; 10-game on-base at home; 8-game hit at home
• Houston Russell: 11-game on-base overall; 11-game on-base in Big Ten play; 6-game on-base at home
• CJ Richmond: 11-game on-base at home
• Brandon Anderson: 9-game on-base at home
Logan Sutter led off the bottom of the fourth with Purdue's second home run to straight away center field in as many days. It was Sutter's team-leading 15th long ball of the season, moving him into a tie with Dan Black (2009) for fifth place on the program's single-season leaderboard. Black was the last Boilermaker to hit at least 15. Sutter has 136 total bases this season, third most in team history and the most by a Purdue player since 1987.
Sergio DeCello provided some excitement in the third inning, connecting for a leadoff single down the right field line. After an aggressive turn at first base, he had pulled up when the right fielder's throw sailed through the infield. DeCello slid head first into second base but was still able to scamper to third when the third baseman's throw went back into right field. Eli Anderson followed with his sac fly to left field.
Like Brandon Anderson, Richmond connected for a clutch opposite-field hit in the ninth inning. Nebraska's Cayden Brumbaugh nearly made a sprawling catch on the slicing line drive to left field. It was his second frame in the outfield after starting the game at second base.
Albert Choi was sent in to pinch run while representing the tying run. Nebraska also went to the mound for a lefty to face the left-handed hitting Andersons. Jalen Worthley retired Eli Anderson on a fly ball to left field but Brandon Anderson barreled up the first pitch he saw for his ninth home run of the season.
Lukas Cook and Ty Gill teamed up for a slick inning-ending double play with two aboard in the first inning to help Van Assen squash a potential big inning. Cook gloved a chopper behind the second base bag and made a backhanded flip to Gill on the move for the turn. Cook also had two hits at the plate, his 17th multi-hit game snapping a 2-for-20 skid that dated back to May 6.
Saturday's regular-season finale will double as Purdue's third straight weekend series rubber game this month. The Boilermakers have not played rubber games in three consecutive weekends since March 21 to April 4 of the 2021 season. The annual Senior Day ceremony is set for 1:30 p.m. ET and first pitch at 2 p.m. Seventeen Boilermakers plus four team managers will be recognized for their contributions to Purdue Baseball.