WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Cole Van Assen and Easton Storey teamed up for 12 innings of two-run ball as Purdue Baseball's starting pitchers on a day in which the Boilermakers never trailed and swept a Saturday doubleheader with Northwestern to take the series.
Purdue was victorious 5-3 and 7-5. The Boilermakers (28-19, 9-15) scored five times in the eighth inning – posting a three-spot in game 1 and two runs in the nightcap – insurance runs that loomed large as the Wildcats (21-24, 10-14) rallied in the top of the ninth of both games.
The Boilermakers moved within one game of Northwestern in the Big Ten standings and earned a potential tiebreaker vs. NU in the Big Ten Tournament chase.
SATURDAY NOTABLES
• Purdue won a sixth straight series vs. Northwestern dating back to 2018, matching the longest such streak against any Big Ten rival since weekend series of three games (or more) became standard in the league in 1981. The Boilermakers have won 14 of the last 18 meetings in the series vs. the Wildcats.
• Purdue swept a doubleheader for the third time this season, accomplishing the feat in Big Ten action for the first time since April 2023 vs. Penn State at Alexander. That was also the Boilers' last rubber game win in Big Ten play. Purdue had lost six consecutive Big Ten rubber games since.
• The Boilermakers have won the series finale each of the last three weekends after dropping eight such games from May 5, 2024 through April 13 of this year.
• Lukas Cook returned to the lineup in game 2 Saturday, making his first start since April 11 and playing pain free for the first time since April 6. Starting at second base, he went 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored to raise his team-leading batting average to .436. Both of his hits were opposite-field singles.
• Brandon Rogers made another highlight-reel catch in center field that earned him a place among the SportsCenter Top 10 plays on ESPN. He collided with the wall while making a running catch with a runner aboard and one out in the ninth inning of the nightcap. It loomed even larger when an RBI double and hit batsman followed to help Northwestern put the go-ahead run on base.
• Keenan Spence connected for a pinch-hit home run to lead off the seventh inning of the nightcap, the first homer by a Purdue pinch hitter since Mike Bolton Jr. in March 2023. It was Spence's only at-bat of the weekend.
• An inning-opening error in the top of the eighth of the nightcap ended the Boilermakers' streak of six consecutive games without an error. It was the first error Purdue had been charged with since a dropped fly ball to open the April 22 game vs. Austin Peay. The Boilers went 65 consecutive innings without a defensive miscue.
Van Assen worked three true 1-2-3 innings and faced no more than five batters in an inning. He needed only 30 pitches to record his first 10 outs and threw just 86 pitches while not conceding a free pass over his seven innings. All six hits he surrendered were singles. He's conceded just one extra-base hit over 12 innings in his last two starts.
Storey posted four zeros over his five innings of two-run ball. The lefty worked nine innings of two-run ball in his two starts this week. Saturday, the lefty struck out the side in order vs. NU's 5-6-7 hitters during a stretch in which he retired nine in a row on his second time through the lineup. The sophomore excelled Saturday in his first Big Ten start since March 29 despite getting hit by two sharp comebackers in the span of three batters across the first and second innings.
Purdue's starting pitchers led the way in the series victory. Carter Doorn, Van Assen and Storey teamed up for 18 innings of four-run ball, racking up 14 strikeouts vs. seven walks while conceding just 13 hits (.210 batting average against). It was the starting rotation's best showing in a Big Ten series since one year ago during the first weekend of May vs. Indiana (18 IP, 13 H, 4 R, BB, 11 K, .203 B/Avg).
Michael Vallone bounced back from a tough night Friday with three effective innings of relief in Saturday's nightcap to backup Storey. The lefty retired six consecutive batters and could have posted another zero in the eighth if not for an error allowing the NU leadoff man to reach third base to open the frame.
Austin Klug and Avery Cook closed out Saturday's wins, marking the first time two different Boilermakers earned a save on the same day since April 2021 as Purdue topped Michigan State and Illinois in Champagin. Cook also earned the save in the nightcap that day at Illinois Field, at the time his second as a Boilermaker. The fifth-year reliever earned his ninth save of the season and 14th career Saturday. Klug's was his first at Purdue.
PURDUE'S BIG HITS SATURDAY
• RBI doubles from Albert Choi (2nd inning) and Aaron Manias (6th inning) in game 1.
• Two-out RBI singles from Ty Gill and Eli Anderson in the eighth inning of game 1. Brandon Rogers scored from first base on Gill's hit, leaping over the catcher after the throw beat him to the plate. Rogers got his fingertips on the top corner of the plate before the tag was applied and was officially ruled safe after the play was reviewed and original call overturned.
• A two-run triple from CJ Richmond in a three-run first inning to open the nightcap.
• Anderson's leadoff double in the third inning of the nightcap led to a run after Anderson used some aggressive base running to steal a run. He teamed up with Brandon Anderson for a double steal and later slid in safely on a close play at the plate after strike three to Logan Sutter hit the dirt and NU had to throw to first to complete the out.
• Keenan Spence's pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning of the nightcap.
The Boilermakers are back in action when they host Ball State on Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET for the final $3 midweek matchup of the season at Alexander Field.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Logan Sutter: 11-game on-base at home
• Houston Russell: 8-game on-base in Big Ten play
• CJ Richmond: 8-game on-base at home
• Eli Anderson: 6-game hit; 7-game on-base at home
• Brandon Anderson: 6-game on-base at home
• Keenan Spence: 6-game on-base at home
Purdue was victorious 5-3 and 7-5. The Boilermakers (28-19, 9-15) scored five times in the eighth inning – posting a three-spot in game 1 and two runs in the nightcap – insurance runs that loomed large as the Wildcats (21-24, 10-14) rallied in the top of the ninth of both games.
The Boilermakers moved within one game of Northwestern in the Big Ten standings and earned a potential tiebreaker vs. NU in the Big Ten Tournament chase.
SATURDAY NOTABLES
• Purdue won a sixth straight series vs. Northwestern dating back to 2018, matching the longest such streak against any Big Ten rival since weekend series of three games (or more) became standard in the league in 1981. The Boilermakers have won 14 of the last 18 meetings in the series vs. the Wildcats.
• Purdue swept a doubleheader for the third time this season, accomplishing the feat in Big Ten action for the first time since April 2023 vs. Penn State at Alexander. That was also the Boilers' last rubber game win in Big Ten play. Purdue had lost six consecutive Big Ten rubber games since.
• The Boilermakers have won the series finale each of the last three weekends after dropping eight such games from May 5, 2024 through April 13 of this year.
• Lukas Cook returned to the lineup in game 2 Saturday, making his first start since April 11 and playing pain free for the first time since April 6. Starting at second base, he went 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored to raise his team-leading batting average to .436. Both of his hits were opposite-field singles.
• Brandon Rogers made another highlight-reel catch in center field that earned him a place among the SportsCenter Top 10 plays on ESPN. He collided with the wall while making a running catch with a runner aboard and one out in the ninth inning of the nightcap. It loomed even larger when an RBI double and hit batsman followed to help Northwestern put the go-ahead run on base.
• Keenan Spence connected for a pinch-hit home run to lead off the seventh inning of the nightcap, the first homer by a Purdue pinch hitter since Mike Bolton Jr. in March 2023. It was Spence's only at-bat of the weekend.
• An inning-opening error in the top of the eighth of the nightcap ended the Boilermakers' streak of six consecutive games without an error. It was the first error Purdue had been charged with since a dropped fly ball to open the April 22 game vs. Austin Peay. The Boilers went 65 consecutive innings without a defensive miscue.
Van Assen put together the finest outing of the season by a Purdue pitcher. He matched his career-high with seven strikeouts over seven scoreless innings. In his last two starts at Alexander Field, Van Assen has 14 strikeouts over 14 innings of one-run ball, leading the Boilermakers to a pair of wins. The sophomore became the first Boilermaker to work seven scoreless innings in a game since Jordan Morales in the shutout win at Michigan in May of last season.He Fears No Walls 🦸🏾♂️
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 4, 2025
#⃣4⃣ at #⃣4⃣ on the #SCTop10 after another Superman catch. #BoilerUp H/T @GreggDoyelStar
👀 @Brandon_Rogers8 x @PurdueSports 💎 pic.twitter.com/ydKaPFW8j9
Van Assen worked three true 1-2-3 innings and faced no more than five batters in an inning. He needed only 30 pitches to record his first 10 outs and threw just 86 pitches while not conceding a free pass over his seven innings. All six hits he surrendered were singles. He's conceded just one extra-base hit over 12 innings in his last two starts.
Storey posted four zeros over his five innings of two-run ball. The lefty worked nine innings of two-run ball in his two starts this week. Saturday, the lefty struck out the side in order vs. NU's 5-6-7 hitters during a stretch in which he retired nine in a row on his second time through the lineup. The sophomore excelled Saturday in his first Big Ten start since March 29 despite getting hit by two sharp comebackers in the span of three batters across the first and second innings.
Purdue's starting pitchers led the way in the series victory. Carter Doorn, Van Assen and Storey teamed up for 18 innings of four-run ball, racking up 14 strikeouts vs. seven walks while conceding just 13 hits (.210 batting average against). It was the starting rotation's best showing in a Big Ten series since one year ago during the first weekend of May vs. Indiana (18 IP, 13 H, 4 R, BB, 11 K, .203 B/Avg).
Michael Vallone bounced back from a tough night Friday with three effective innings of relief in Saturday's nightcap to backup Storey. The lefty retired six consecutive batters and could have posted another zero in the eighth if not for an error allowing the NU leadoff man to reach third base to open the frame.
Austin Klug and Avery Cook closed out Saturday's wins, marking the first time two different Boilermakers earned a save on the same day since April 2021 as Purdue topped Michigan State and Illinois in Champagin. Cook also earned the save in the nightcap that day at Illinois Field, at the time his second as a Boilermaker. The fifth-year reliever earned his ninth save of the season and 14th career Saturday. Klug's was his first at Purdue.
PURDUE'S BIG HITS SATURDAY
• RBI doubles from Albert Choi (2nd inning) and Aaron Manias (6th inning) in game 1.
• Two-out RBI singles from Ty Gill and Eli Anderson in the eighth inning of game 1. Brandon Rogers scored from first base on Gill's hit, leaping over the catcher after the throw beat him to the plate. Rogers got his fingertips on the top corner of the plate before the tag was applied and was officially ruled safe after the play was reviewed and original call overturned.
• A two-run triple from CJ Richmond in a three-run first inning to open the nightcap.
• Anderson's leadoff double in the third inning of the nightcap led to a run after Anderson used some aggressive base running to steal a run. He teamed up with Brandon Anderson for a double steal and later slid in safely on a close play at the plate after strike three to Logan Sutter hit the dirt and NU had to throw to first to complete the out.
• Keenan Spence's pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning of the nightcap.
The Boilermakers are back in action when they host Ball State on Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET for the final $3 midweek matchup of the season at Alexander Field.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Logan Sutter: 11-game on-base at home
• Houston Russell: 8-game on-base in Big Ten play
• CJ Richmond: 8-game on-base at home
• Eli Anderson: 6-game hit; 7-game on-base at home
• Brandon Anderson: 6-game on-base at home
• Keenan Spence: 6-game on-base at home