March 31, 2010
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Purdue baseball team jumped out to an early lead and thwarted a couple of threats late to split its two-game midweek series against Missouri with a 6-3 win at Taylor Stadium on Wednesday. The Boilers wrapped up the early portion of their nonconference scheduled with a 12-10 record, while Missouri saw a modest two-game win streak come to an end to drop to 14-9.
With Purdue leading by four in the bottom of the seventh Missouri cut the lead to 5-2 with a single run, but the Boilermakers' Joe Haase helped starter Blake Mascarello out of a no-out bases loaded jam. The sophomore right-hander ended the mess on a run-scoring double play and a ground out to third to end the frame.
Purdue turned around and took advantage of back-to-back Mizzou errors in the top of the eighth to push the lead back to four at 6-2.
Nick Overmyer hit a one-out single to right-center and outfielder Blake Brown over ran the single to allow Overmyer to reach second. David Blount followed with a fly ball that was caught in right, but the relay throw from shortstop Machael Liberto attempting to get Overmyer advancing to third sailed high and into the stands above third for a run-scoring error.
Missouri cut the lead back to three on a single, a failed pickoff attempt and a two-out wind-blown double in the bottom of the frame. Brett Nicholas started the rally with a one-out single to right and moved to second on wild attempt by closer Calvin Gunter to catch him napping at first.
After Brown struck out for the second out, the Boilers appeared to out of the frame when DH Jonah Schmidt lofted a high popup in foul ground by the first base bag. Strong winds blew the ball back into fair territory and just out of the reach of Drew Madia for a run-scoring infield double to cut the lead to 6-3 .
The Boilermakers jumped out to an early lead in the contest when Cameron Perkins followed a leadoff single by Brad Schreiber with a two-run homer to left, his team-leading fourth dinger, to left to put Purdue on the scoreboard in the top of the second with a 2-0 lead.
The Tigers cut the Boiler lead in half at 2-1 on a two-out walk to Michael Liberto and a double down the left field line by Jesse Santo in the bottom of the third.
Schreiber answered right back the top of the fourth with a solo home run to left, his second of the year, and the Boilers tacked on another score in the frame on back-to-back singles by Perkins and Drew Madia and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Nick Overmyer to make it 4-1 Purdue.
The Boilermakers took advantage of a Mizzou fielding miscue in the top of the fifth to plate another run for a four-run edge when Tyler Spillner reached on an error, stole second and came around to score on a Kevin Plawecki single.
Purdue's Mascarello picked up his first victory of the season, allowing just two runs on six hits in six innings of work. The left-hander struck out four and walked three. MU starter Jeff Scardinos was charged with the loss after surrendering two runs on two hits in three innings.
The Boilermakers will return home to open Big Ten Conference play this weekend when they host Minnesota for a three-game series at Lambert Field. First pitch for the league opener on Friday is scheduled for 4 p.m. with right-hander Matt Bischoff the Purdue starter on the mound.