Saturday Box Score / Game Score Info
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Highlighted by a complete-game two-hitter in Saturday's win vs. Illinois, Purdue baseball's Gareth Stroh retired 30 of the 33 batters he faced over 10 innings to earn Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors.
Stroh actually closed out two of the Boilermakers' four wins last week after also working a scoreless ninth in the 10-7 win at Indiana State on Wednesday to earn a save in his first relief appearance of the season. The lefty led the way as the pitching staff compiled a 2.81 ERA over five games. Purdue limited Illinois to four runs in the three-game series sweep. Seven of the 16 runs the staff surrendered came in the first four innings of Wednesday's comeback win in Terre Haute.
Stroh joined Tanner Andrews as Boilermakers to win Big Ten Pitcher of the Week this season. Andrews is also the other Purdue pitcher to throw a complete game in 2017. The Boilermakers did not have a Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honoree from 2013 through 2016, but have won the award a league-high three times this year after Andrews was recognized twice in the first three weeks. Lance Breedlove (3), Joe Haase (2) and Nick Wittgren (1) teamed up for a program-record six Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors during the 2012 conference championship season.
In Saturday's win vs. Illinois, Stroh retired the first 12 batters of the game in order and 27 of 29 total. A two-out solo homer in the ninth inning by the Fighting Illini's top hitter not only broke up the shutout, but also ended Stroh's streak of 14 consecutive batters retired. He struck out a career-high eight while not issuing a walk.
Stroh posted a game score of 87 in his gem, matching Andrews' complete-game shutout at Southeast Missouri State on March 3 (also a game score of 87) as the top outings by a Purdue pitcher since 2012. Breedlove posted a game score of 88 in a complete-game two-hit shutout of Penn State in March 2012. Haase had a game score of 86 twice in 2012 en route to winning Big Ten Pitcher of the Year honors.
Stroh became Purdue's first starting pitcher to earn a win and a save in the same week since Robert Ramer accomplished the feat on the 2013 spring break trip (win at Cincinnati, save at Evansville).
In his two starts at Alexander Field this season, Stroh has surrendered a run in just two of the 15 innings he has pitched. Along with recording 12 strikeouts vs. just two walks, he has given up only nine hits (.167 batting average against).
Purdue continues it 10-game homestand Tuesday vs. Fort Wayne. The game was moved up a day due to thunderstorms in the forecast for Wednesday. First pitch at Alexander Field is set for 6 p.m. ET.
Gareth Stroh & Coach @Waz4412 discuss Stroh's complete-game gem & the 4-1 series-clinching win vs. Illinois. https://t.co/aqN2fLMif2
-- Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 23, 2017