WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Jeff Evak, Kyle Johnson and Drew Rosbottom all homered to left field, but it was the Gold Team's consecutive four-run innings that proved to be the difference in a 10-4 final Sunday afternoon in the opening game of Purdue baseball's intrasquad series at Alexander Field.
The Gold Team scored 10 unanswered runs while scoring in four consecutive frames from the fourth through seventh, overcoming a 4-0 deficit in the process.
Gold pounded out 18 hits and did not strike out in the victory. The fourth through ninth batters in the lineup all had multiple hits. Jordan Lewis and James Jewell each had three hits. Rosbottom and Johnson both scored three times and Jack Picchiotti drove in three runs.
Adam Dressler worked 4 1/3 innings of three-hit relief to highlight the day for the pitchers. He retired 11 of the 16 batters he faced before taking himself out after feeling the possibility of an injury with two on and no outs in the bottom of the eighth.
Jordan Bickle and Kyle Van Hoeck each induced an inning-ending double play ball off the bat of the first hitters they faced to end the top and bottom of the ninth inning, respectively.
Two-out rallies were a big part of both teams' scoring. The Black Team had seven consecutive batters reach base safely with two outs during their four-run second inning. Evak connected for his two-run homer to cap the scoring in the frame.
Johnson hit his two-run homer with two outs in the fifth inning for the Gold Team. An inning later, five consecutive hitters reached base safely with two outs as Gold took advantage of a two-out error to post another extended rally.
Picchiotti delivered a two-run double into the left field corner after singles from Hayden Grant and Rosbottom, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Cody Strong, ignited the rally.
Rosbottom also made a pair of nice diving catches in left-center field, taking away hits from Mike Kornacker and Harry Shipley. The runner at first base was doubled off after the diving catch in the sixth inning, erasing a leadoff walk. Picchiotti picked off a runner at third base to wipe out a leadoff double in the bottom of the eighth. Strong also made a nice sprawling catch to take away a bloop hit from Kornacker in the second or the Black Team's rally could have been even more productive.
A triple from Stephen Kalina, RBI double off the bat of Alec Olund and run-scoring single from Shipley set the stage for Evak's home run in the second inning.
Black Team starter Gavin Downs retired nine of the next 11 batters he faced after giving up a game-opening double to Strong. The right-hander was lifted after Picchiotti's two-run double in the fifth.
Game two of the series is set for 3 p.m. Monday, but could be moved up based on rain in the forecast. The probable pitching matchup is Matt Frawley (Black) vs. Brett Haan (Gold). All games are open to the public at Alexander Field.
Receive Purdue Baseball news via email. Sign up HERE.
| 2014 Black & Gold Series Schedule | ||||
| Date | Game Number | Location | Time / Result | Coverage |
| 10/12/14 | Gold at Black | Alexander Field | 10-4 Gold | | Recap | Box | Rosters |
| 10/13/14 | Black at Gold | Alexander Field | 12:45 p.m. | | Recap | Box | Rosters |
| 10/14/14 | Gold at Black | Alexander Field | 3 p.m. | | Recap | Box | Rosters |
| 10/17/14 | Black at Gold | Alexander Field | 5 p.m. | | Recap | Box | Rosters |
| 10/18/14 | Gold at Black | Alexander Field | 2 p.m. | | Recap | Box | Rosters |
All times listed in EST.