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WEEKEND SERIES INFORMATION
Purdue (6-8) at Santa Clara (4-12)
Thursday to Saturday, March 16 to 18 at 9, 9 and 6 p.m. ET / Saturday Doubleheader
Stephen Schott Stadium / Santa Clara, California
All-Time Series: First Meeting
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Thursday: TBA for Purdue vs. SCU's Jacob Steffens (Sr, RHP)
Friday: Tanner Andrews (Jr, RHP) vs. SCU's Eric Lex (So, RHP)
Saturday Game 1: Gareth Stroh (So, LHP) vs. SCU's Michael Bono (Jr, RHP)
Saturday Game 2: Mike Kornacker (So, RHP) vs. TBA for Santa Clara
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Purdue baseball closes out its 11-day spring break trip in California with another four-game series, taking on first-time foe Santa Clara.
The series features a Saturday doubleheader so the Boilermakers can fly home early Sunday morning. First pitch at Stephen Schott Stadium is set for 9 p.m. ET on Thursday and Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday.
The weekend series in the South Bay sets up as Purdue's third four-game set of the season. The Boilermakers came up two outs shy of winning their four-game series at Texas State during the season-opening weekend after taking an 11-9 lead into the bottom of the ninth in game three. But the Bobcats rallied for a walk-off win and then took the Sunday finale to split the series. Purdue will have another chance to post its first four-game series win on the road since 2011 at Morehead State.
This season marks the first time since 2008, the final year of four-game Big Ten weekend series, that the Boilermakers have played three four-game sets in the same year.
Purdue has opted to start Tanner Andrews in game two of the series to keep him on his normal routine of pitching on Fridays. The Boilermakers' series-opening starter will not be determined until Thursday.
In 2012, Purdue also played a four-game series with the same Thursday to Saturday schedule at Wichita State on the back half of the spring break trip. Friday starter Joe Haase, who would go on to win Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, also did not pitch until the second game of the series. Robert Ramer got the spot start in the series opener and helped Purdue take game one. Ramer (2010-13) is a Sunnyvale, California, native and is expected to be at the ballpark this weekend.
Nick Dalesandro (9-for-17, 4 doubles, 4 RBI) and Skyler Hunter (7-for-14, 2 doubles, 5 runs) both hit safely in all four games of the Cal State Northridge series. Hunter also had a hit in all four games of the Texas State series. He became the first Boilermaker since 2008, when six Purdue players accomplished the feat, to hit safely in every game of at least a pair of four-game sets. But the Boilermakers played nine four-game series in 2008.
Purdue has visited the Bay Area for the second year in a row. Last year's trip was to Cal for the second weekend of the season. Purdue had not played in California in consecutive years since 2001 and 2002.
The Boilermakers' streak of 13 consecutive day games ends Thursday. Purdue has not played a true night game since the season opener. Meanwhile, this weekend's games are the last of 18 straight outside the Eastern Time Zone. The Boilermakers are scheduled to play their first game in their home state March 22 when they open midweek play at Ball State.
QUICK LOOK AT SANTA CLARA
- The Broncos are Purdue's first West Coast Conference opponent since splitting a doubleheader with Gonzaga in Phoenix in February 2015. Santa Clara has already played five of its first 16 games against Big Ten teams this season, losing at home to Michigan and splitting a four-game series with Northwestern in the South Bay two weekends ago. The Broncos were limited to just three runs while being swept in a four-game series at Purdue head coach Mark Wasikowski's former team, Oregon, last weekend. But Santa Clara rebounded with a 9-5 win vs. Connecticut at home Tuesday, matching its season high for runs scored.
- Starting pitchers Jacob Steffens (23 hits, 30 Ks in 29 1/3 IP) and Eric Lex (18 hits, 22 Ks in 22 1/3 IP) as well as relief ace Brandon Buckley (10 hits, 23 Ks in 15 IP) have all recorded more strikeouts than hits allowed. Michael Bono is also scheduled to start this weekend and has allowed more walks (9) than hits (8) over 13 innings. But the defense has struggled at times behind them, committing 26 errors while compiling a .956 fielding percentage. Yet surprisingly, the Broncos have only surrendered 12 unearned runs in 16 games.
- Offensively, Santa Clara has had 9 of 13 base stealers thrown out. But the Broncos have rarely turned to the sacrifice bunt either, recording just three entering the weekend. First baseman Jake Brodt leads the way with seven doubles and is the lone SCU player to reach the double-figure mark in RBI (10) so far. Seven different players have already homered for Santa Clara, including catcher Jake MacNichols (6 hits, 3 solo homers). Freshman outfielder Andrew Nnebe check in at 6-foot-6 and is batting .386 (22-for-57).