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WEEKEND SERIES INFORMATION
Penn State (14-6, 0-3 B1G) at Purdue (8-16, 2-1 B1G)
Friday, March 29 to Sunday, March 31 at 4 p.m., 4 p.m. and 1 p.m. ET / BTN Plus on BTN2Go
Alexander Field / West Lafayette, Indiana
All-Time Series: Purdue leads 48-32 / All-Time in West Lafayette: 26-16
2018: Purdue swept a 3-game set in University Park (March 30-31)
Last Series in West Lafayette: Purdue swept a 2-game set (May 2015)
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Patrick J. Smith (Sr, LHP) vs. PSU's Dante Biasi (R-So, LHP)
Saturday: Andrew Bohm (R-So, RHP) vs. PSU's Bailey Dees (So, RHP)
Sunday: Ryan Beard (Sr, LHP) vs. PSU's Eric Mock (R-Jr, RHP)
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Friday: Texting gloves giveaway for first 250 fans
Saturday: Purdue baseball cards set No. 1 giveaway
Sunday: Postgame autographs and kids can run the bases
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Winners of four of its last five, Purdue baseball closes out March by hosting Penn State for the first home weekend of the season at Alexander Field.
The first pitch of Friday's series opener has been moved up to 4 p.m. ET. Saturday and Sunday are still a go for 1 p.m.
The Boilermakers won three of their four Big Ten series at home last year, all via the three-game sweep. They also swept the Nittany Lions in Central Pennsylvania the final weekend of March to open conference play. Dating back to 2013, four of the last five Purdue-Penn State series have ended in sweeps. The Boilermakers swept PSU in 2013, 2015 and 2018, although the season-ending series at Alexander Field in May 2015 was shortened to two games due to rain.
Purdue has not hosted the Nittany Lions since 2015, but they actually played at Alexander Field last after Minnesota opted to relocate its home series against PSU to West Lafayette due to frigid temperatures in the Twin Cities. The Gophers and Lions squared off again last weekend in Central Pennsylvania, with preseason favorite Minnesota again bringing out the brooms.
Highlighted by a series win at UCF, Penn State carried a 13-3 record into the opening weekend of Big Ten play. The Nittany Lions won again Tuesday and are only one win shy of their 2018 total. Sweeps against Monmouth, Fairfield and UMass Lowell powered the hot start. However, PSU has only played four true road games so far, albeit winning three of those contests.
The Boilermakers have been on the road for their first two weekends of Big Ten play each of the last two seasons. They haven't played a Big Ten game at Alexander in March since hosting Nebraska to open conference play in 2016.
With the sweep at Penn State last year coupled with the rubber game win Sunday at Northwestern, Purdue has won its conference-opening series in consecutive years for the first time since 1994 and 1995. The 2012 season marked the last time the Boilermakers won each of their first two Big Ten series.
FOUR-GAME TWO-HIT STREAK FOR EVARTS; HUNTER EQUALLY HOT
• Nick Evarts has recorded two hits in each of the last four games (8-for-15, .611 OBP), raising his average over .100 points to .286. He's the first Boilermaker with four straight multi-hit games since Evan Warden in February 2018. Evarts also became just the seventh Boilermaker since 2013 to record multiple hits in all three games of a series or weekend. During the 2012 Big Ten championship season, that was a feat achieved 11 times by Boilermakers, including three times each by first team All-Big Ten performers Eric Charles and Cameron Perkins.
• Skyler Hunter posted three consecutive two-hit games in the 2017 season-opening series at Texas State, which was a four-game set. Remarkably, those were the first three games of Hunter's college career, serving as a case of foreshadowing as the junior now has 172 hits in 133 career games and 52 career multi-hit games. The switch-hitter has also posted three straight multi-hit efforts this year and enters the Penn State series with three hits in each of the last two games. He's batting .411 (23-for-56) with seven extra-base hits and 12 runs scored since moving to leadoff spot in time for the nightcap of the March 9 doubleheader vs. NJIT.
MULTIPLE HITS IN ALL 3 GAMES OF A SERIES/WEEKEND SINCE 2013
• Nick Evarts, 2019 at Northwestern – 6-for-11, 2B, 5 RBI, BB, 2 HBP, R, .643 OBP
• Jacson McGowan, 2018 at Maryland – 6-for-12, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB, 2 HBP, 3 R, .600 OBP
• Kyle Johnson, 2015 at Nebraska – 6-for-12, 3B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB, HBP, 3 R, .571 OBP
• Brandon Krieg, 2015 vs Northern Illinois – 7-for-13, 2 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, BB, 3 R, .571 OBP
• Kyle Wood, 2015 at Oklahoma – 9-for-11, 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 4 R, .786 OBP
• Conner Hudnall, 2013 at Michigan State – 7-for-16, 2 2B, R, .438 OBP
• Jack Picchiotti, 2013 at Penn State – 6-for-13, 2 RBI, 2 R, .462 OBP
• Kyle Wood, 2013 at Illinois – 6-for-10, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, HBP, 4 R, .692 OBP
• Cole McKenzie has reached base safely in 23 of his first 24 games as a Boilermaker, including 18 straight. Coincidentally, the only game he hasn't been on base was the 4-0 win at Texas on Feb. 23. He has an opportunity to become just the fifth Boilermaker since 2005 to post a 20-game reached base safely streak by the end of March.
• McKenzie has hit safely in 12 of the last 13 games, batting .392 (20-for-51) with a .458 on-base percentage during that stretch.
LONGEST REACHED BASE SAFELY STREAKS BY THE END OF MARCH (SINCE 2005)
* -- Streak was active as March came to an end
• Cameron Perkins, 23* – 2011
• Nick Dalesandro, 21* – 2017
• Ryne White, 20* – 2007
• Jordan Comadena, 20 – 2007
• Kevin Plawecki, 19* – 2012
• Barret Arthur, 19 – 2010
• Cole McKenzie, 18 – 2019 (As of March 28)
• Mitch Hilligoss, 18* – 2006
• Jordan Comadena, 18* – 2008
• Barrett Serrato, 16* – 2011
• Skyler Hunter, 15* – 2017
HOFSTRA JOINS ELITE LIST OF RELIEVERS
• Bo Hofstra worked three innings of hitless relief last weekend at Northwestern, earning saves in games 1 and 3 of the series. He became just the fifth Purdue pitcher since 2005 to earn multiple saves in a Big Ten series. Overall, the feat has been accomplished by the same closer only 11 times since 2005. Hofstra has recorded the final out of each of the Boilermakers' last four wins.
RECORDED MULTIPLE SAVES IN THE SAME WEEKEND SINCE 2005
• 2019: Bo Hofstra at Northwestern
• 2018: Ross Learnard at Maryland (3), vs. Northwestern, vs. Michigan (3)
• 2012: Nick Wittgren at Auburn Tournament, vs. Illinois
• 2011: Nick Wittgren vs. Michigan
• 2009: Kevin Cahill at Evansville Tournament
• 2008: Josh Lindblom vs. Northwestern, at Iowa
• 2005: Chris Toneguzzi at Indiana
HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2018 SWEEP AT PENN STATE
• Freshmen made key contributions as Purdue won three times in a 24-hour span last season in Central Pennsylvania. The Boilermakers held the lead for 17 of the first 18 innings over the first two games, trailing only 2-0 after the first inning of game 2. Purdue scored nine times over the final five innings of the series finale, winning it in shutout fashion.
• Tyler Powers hit safely in all three games and reached base in seven of his 11 plate appearances, finishing the weekend 4-for-7 with three walks, three RBI and four runs scored. His two-out, two-run single in the first inning of game 2 provided a quick response after PSU took an early 2-0 lead before leaving the bases loaded.
• Charlie Nasuti was 3-for-6 with three runs scored in the Saturday doubleheader, reaching base safely four times in the nightcap.
• On the mound, Trent Johnson worked five innings of one-hit ball as the game 3 starter. He retired 15 of the 20 batters he faced, striking out six. It was Penn State's 18th batter of the game that finally recorded PSU's lone hit against him. The Nittany Lions didn't have another base runner until eighth inning. By then the Boilermakers led 6-0.
WEEKEND SERIES INFORMATION
Penn State (14-6, 0-3 B1G) at Purdue (8-16, 2-1 B1G)
Friday, March 29 to Sunday, March 31 at 4 p.m., 4 p.m. and 1 p.m. ET / BTN Plus on BTN2Go
Alexander Field / West Lafayette, Indiana
All-Time Series: Purdue leads 48-32 / All-Time in West Lafayette: 26-16
2018: Purdue swept a 3-game set in University Park (March 30-31)
Last Series in West Lafayette: Purdue swept a 2-game set (May 2015)
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Patrick J. Smith (Sr, LHP) vs. PSU's Dante Biasi (R-So, LHP)
Saturday: Andrew Bohm (R-So, RHP) vs. PSU's Bailey Dees (So, RHP)
Sunday: Ryan Beard (Sr, LHP) vs. PSU's Eric Mock (R-Jr, RHP)
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Friday: Texting gloves giveaway for first 250 fans
Saturday: Purdue baseball cards set No. 1 giveaway
Sunday: Postgame autographs and kids can run the bases
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Winners of four of its last five, Purdue baseball closes out March by hosting Penn State for the first home weekend of the season at Alexander Field.
The first pitch of Friday's series opener has been moved up to 4 p.m. ET. Saturday and Sunday are still a go for 1 p.m.
The Boilermakers won three of their four Big Ten series at home last year, all via the three-game sweep. They also swept the Nittany Lions in Central Pennsylvania the final weekend of March to open conference play. Dating back to 2013, four of the last five Purdue-Penn State series have ended in sweeps. The Boilermakers swept PSU in 2013, 2015 and 2018, although the season-ending series at Alexander Field in May 2015 was shortened to two games due to rain.
Purdue has not hosted the Nittany Lions since 2015, but they actually played at Alexander Field last after Minnesota opted to relocate its home series against PSU to West Lafayette due to frigid temperatures in the Twin Cities. The Gophers and Lions squared off again last weekend in Central Pennsylvania, with preseason favorite Minnesota again bringing out the brooms.
Highlighted by a series win at UCF, Penn State carried a 13-3 record into the opening weekend of Big Ten play. The Nittany Lions won again Tuesday and are only one win shy of their 2018 total. Sweeps against Monmouth, Fairfield and UMass Lowell powered the hot start. However, PSU has only played four true road games so far, albeit winning three of those contests.
The Boilermakers have been on the road for their first two weekends of Big Ten play each of the last two seasons. They haven't played a Big Ten game at Alexander in March since hosting Nebraska to open conference play in 2016.
With the sweep at Penn State last year coupled with the rubber game win Sunday at Northwestern, Purdue has won its conference-opening series in consecutive years for the first time since 1994 and 1995. The 2012 season marked the last time the Boilermakers won each of their first two Big Ten series.
FOUR-GAME TWO-HIT STREAK FOR EVARTS; HUNTER EQUALLY HOT
• Nick Evarts has recorded two hits in each of the last four games (8-for-15, .611 OBP), raising his average over .100 points to .286. He's the first Boilermaker with four straight multi-hit games since Evan Warden in February 2018. Evarts also became just the seventh Boilermaker since 2013 to record multiple hits in all three games of a series or weekend. During the 2012 Big Ten championship season, that was a feat achieved 11 times by Boilermakers, including three times each by first team All-Big Ten performers Eric Charles and Cameron Perkins.
• Skyler Hunter posted three consecutive two-hit games in the 2017 season-opening series at Texas State, which was a four-game set. Remarkably, those were the first three games of Hunter's college career, serving as a case of foreshadowing as the junior now has 172 hits in 133 career games and 52 career multi-hit games. The switch-hitter has also posted three straight multi-hit efforts this year and enters the Penn State series with three hits in each of the last two games. He's batting .411 (23-for-56) with seven extra-base hits and 12 runs scored since moving to leadoff spot in time for the nightcap of the March 9 doubleheader vs. NJIT.
MULTIPLE HITS IN ALL 3 GAMES OF A SERIES/WEEKEND SINCE 2013
• Nick Evarts, 2019 at Northwestern – 6-for-11, 2B, 5 RBI, BB, 2 HBP, R, .643 OBP
• Jacson McGowan, 2018 at Maryland – 6-for-12, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB, 2 HBP, 3 R, .600 OBP
• Kyle Johnson, 2015 at Nebraska – 6-for-12, 3B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB, HBP, 3 R, .571 OBP
• Brandon Krieg, 2015 vs Northern Illinois – 7-for-13, 2 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, BB, 3 R, .571 OBP
• Kyle Wood, 2015 at Oklahoma – 9-for-11, 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 4 R, .786 OBP
• Conner Hudnall, 2013 at Michigan State – 7-for-16, 2 2B, R, .438 OBP
• Jack Picchiotti, 2013 at Penn State – 6-for-13, 2 RBI, 2 R, .462 OBP
• Kyle Wood, 2013 at Illinois – 6-for-10, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, HBP, 4 R, .692 OBP
CAN McKENZIE EXTEND HIS STREAK TO 20 BY THE END OF MARCH?With Penn State in town this weekend for our first home series of the season, Coach Waz, Skyler Hunter & Nick Evarts discussed the areas where the #Boilermakers still need to be better & how they've excelled as of late. #BoilerUp
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) March 28, 2019
First pitch Friday now at 4pm ET. pic.twitter.com/RRJEXUH0v5
• Cole McKenzie has reached base safely in 23 of his first 24 games as a Boilermaker, including 18 straight. Coincidentally, the only game he hasn't been on base was the 4-0 win at Texas on Feb. 23. He has an opportunity to become just the fifth Boilermaker since 2005 to post a 20-game reached base safely streak by the end of March.
• McKenzie has hit safely in 12 of the last 13 games, batting .392 (20-for-51) with a .458 on-base percentage during that stretch.
LONGEST REACHED BASE SAFELY STREAKS BY THE END OF MARCH (SINCE 2005)
* -- Streak was active as March came to an end
• Cameron Perkins, 23* – 2011
• Nick Dalesandro, 21* – 2017
• Ryne White, 20* – 2007
• Jordan Comadena, 20 – 2007
• Kevin Plawecki, 19* – 2012
• Barret Arthur, 19 – 2010
• Cole McKenzie, 18 – 2019 (As of March 28)
• Mitch Hilligoss, 18* – 2006
• Jordan Comadena, 18* – 2008
• Barrett Serrato, 16* – 2011
• Skyler Hunter, 15* – 2017
HOFSTRA JOINS ELITE LIST OF RELIEVERS
• Bo Hofstra worked three innings of hitless relief last weekend at Northwestern, earning saves in games 1 and 3 of the series. He became just the fifth Purdue pitcher since 2005 to earn multiple saves in a Big Ten series. Overall, the feat has been accomplished by the same closer only 11 times since 2005. Hofstra has recorded the final out of each of the Boilermakers' last four wins.
RECORDED MULTIPLE SAVES IN THE SAME WEEKEND SINCE 2005
• 2019: Bo Hofstra at Northwestern
• 2018: Ross Learnard at Maryland (3), vs. Northwestern, vs. Michigan (3)
• 2012: Nick Wittgren at Auburn Tournament, vs. Illinois
• 2011: Nick Wittgren vs. Michigan
• 2009: Kevin Cahill at Evansville Tournament
• 2008: Josh Lindblom vs. Northwestern, at Iowa
• 2005: Chris Toneguzzi at Indiana
HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2018 SWEEP AT PENN STATE
• Freshmen made key contributions as Purdue won three times in a 24-hour span last season in Central Pennsylvania. The Boilermakers held the lead for 17 of the first 18 innings over the first two games, trailing only 2-0 after the first inning of game 2. Purdue scored nine times over the final five innings of the series finale, winning it in shutout fashion.
• Tyler Powers hit safely in all three games and reached base in seven of his 11 plate appearances, finishing the weekend 4-for-7 with three walks, three RBI and four runs scored. His two-out, two-run single in the first inning of game 2 provided a quick response after PSU took an early 2-0 lead before leaving the bases loaded.
• Charlie Nasuti was 3-for-6 with three runs scored in the Saturday doubleheader, reaching base safely four times in the nightcap.
• On the mound, Trent Johnson worked five innings of one-hit ball as the game 3 starter. He retired 15 of the 20 batters he faced, striking out six. It was Penn State's 18th batter of the game that finally recorded PSU's lone hit against him. The Nittany Lions didn't have another base runner until eighth inning. By then the Boilermakers led 6-0.