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WEEKEND SERIES INFORMATION
Michigan State (14-28, 3-11 B1G) at Purdue (17-26, 6-8 B1G)
Friday, May 3 to Sunday, May 5 at 6 p.m., 6 p.m. and 1 p.m. ET / BTN Plus on BTN2Go
Alexander Field / West Lafayette, Indiana
All-Time Series: MSU leads 83-71 / All-Time in West Lafayette: Purdue leads 42-39
Last Series: MSU won 2 of 3 (April 2016 in West Lafayette)
Purdue's Last Series Win vs. MSU: Purdue won 2 of 3 (April 2012 in West Lafayette)
First Meetings: Split a 2-game series (May 1949 in West Lafayette)
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Trent Johnson (So, RHP) vs. MSU's Mason Erla (R-So, RHP)
Saturday: Andrew Bohm (R-So, RHP) vs. MSU's Mitchell Tyranski (Jr, LHP)
Sunday: Patrick J. Smith (Sr, LHP) vs. MSU's Caleb Sleeman (R-Jr, RHP)
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Friday: Craft Beer Night – $25 ticket includes 10 samples and Purdue pint glass
Saturday: Star Wars Night – First 500 fans to donate a children's book or playground toy receive Purdue Star Wars poster
Sunday: Bark at the Park – Bring your dog to Alexander; first 250 fans receive a Frisbee chew toy
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – With final exams week on campus complete, Purdue baseball resumes Big Ten play by hosting the only conference rival it has yet to play during Mark Wasikowski's three years as head coach, Michigan State.
First pitch at Alexander Field is slated for 6 p.m. ET on Friday and Saturday. The annual Bark at the Park dog day is Sunday at 1 p.m. Proof of a current rabies vaccination is required for dogs to enter the ballpark. Fans are asked to keep their dogs on the grass berm down the left field line. Saturday is the annual Alumni Day at Alexander as well as Star Wars Night in honor of May the Fourth Be With You.
The Boilermakers have not played MSU since April 2016, meaning no active members of the program have taken the field against Michigan State. Since that series, Purdue has played 180 games vs. 45 different opponents since last squaring off against the Spartans. Due to a quirk in the Big Ten schedule related to conference expansion, the Boilermakers visited MSU's McLane Stadium for three straight years from 2013 to 2015. They'll be going back to East Lansing next season as part of their Big Ten schedule that will also feature visits to Ann Arbor, Iowa City and Minneapolis.
It's a big series for Purdue this weekend. The Boilermakers are in 10th place in the league standings, just a half game behind the eighth and final berth in the Big Ten Tournament field. With Michigan State in 12th place and 5-22 away from East Lansing this season, Purdue needs as many wins as possible this weekend to maintain control of its own destiny in the Big Ten Tournament chase.
Reaching 12 wins in league play should be enough to clinch a third straight Big Ten Tournament berth. The Boilermakers need six wins over the next three weekends to reach 12 victories. They visit Illinois next weekend and host Ohio State to close the regular season. Ohio State and Rutgers are currently tied for eighth place, with OSU holding the tiebreaker. Maryland is among the three teams tied for fifth at 8-7 in league play and has the toughest May schedule in the conference – vs. Michigan, at Minnesota and vs. Iowa.
BIG TEN WEEKEND SERIES // MAY 3-5
• Michigan State (3-11) at Purdue (6-8)
• Michigan (11-3) at Maryland (8-7)
• Ohio State (7-8) at Minnesota (8-7)
• Indiana (11-4) at Illinois (8-7)
• Rutgers (7-8) at Penn State (2-15)
• Nebraska (12-6) at Northwestern (6-9) – Saturday to Monday
• Non-Conference: UC Irvine at Iowa (11-7)
TIMELY HITTING COMES AROUND DURING HOMESTAND
• Purdue is currently 4-1 on its season-long nine-game homestand. The Boilermakers have scored 37 runs in their last five games thanks to some big improvements in situational hitting. Timely hitting was a facet of the game that haunted the Boilermakers through long stretches over the first 10 weekends of the season. But one could argue it was just a matter of time until some of those numbers improved.
MILESTONES IN SIGHT THIS WEEKEND
• Skyler Hunter's Career Hits Total: 194
• Trent Johnson's Career Strikeouts Total: 95
A-BOHM FINISHED APRIL STRONG
• Despite not having a win to show for his efforts, Andrew Bohm has pitched very well over his last three starts. He remains the only Boilermaker to make a start on the mound each of the first 11 weekends. In his last three starts, he has been on the mound for 18 1/3 of the 26 innings in which Purdue has been in the field. He put together quality starts at Rutgers (6 2/3 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K) and vs. Southeast Missouri (6 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 8 K), but took the loss in both outings after the Boilermakers only scored a combined two runs. Thanks in part to a 1-for-17 showing against him with two outs, Bohm has surrendered fewer hits than innings pitched in each of his last three outings. Unfortunately, two of the 11 hits he has surrendered were home runs.
• Bohm's Last 3 Starts: 18 1/3 IP, 11 H, 8 ER, 10 BB, 18 K, .177 B/Avg, 1.15 WHIP
MILO MAKING IT HAPPEN
• Milo Beam has posted his six-game RBI streak despite batting leadoff in the last five games and eighth in the lineup in the opening game of his streak April 21 at Rutgers. He's the eighth Boilermaker with an RBI in six consecutive games this decade. He has accomplished the feat thanks to a 4-for-7 showing with runners in scoring position coupled with three successful squeeze bunts and his first collegiate home run in his final at-bat of the April 26 win vs. Southeast Missouri. When the streak began, the junior had nine RBI in 111 career games.
McKENZIE'S 11-GAME HIT & ON BASE MULTIPLE TIMES STREAK
• Cole McKenzie is not only riding a season-best 11-game hit streak, the junior has also reached base safely multiple times in all 11 games of the streak. He's 20-for-40 with 8 RBI, 9 runs scored and a .563 on-base percentage during the streak, recording seven multi-hit games. His average has climbed from .242 on April 12 to .305 entering the month of May.
• McKenzie has also excelled with his situational hitting during the streak. He's 8-for-15 with runners in scoring position, collecting five of his eight RBI with two outs. He has reached base safely to begin an inning in five of his eight opportunities.
• April 13 vs. Iowa (G1): Single, Walk
• April 13 vs. Iowa (G2): Home Run, Single
• April 16 vs. Butler: Single, Single, HBP
• April 19 at Rutgers: Single, Single, Single
• April 20 at Rutgers: Single, Walk
• April 21 at Rutgers: Single, Single
• April 23 vs. Chicago State: Single, Single
• April 24 vs. Purdue Fort Wayne: Walk, Double, Walk
• April 26 vs. Southeast Missouri: Single, Single
• April 27 vs. Southeast Missouri: Walk, Walk, Single
• April 28 vs. Southeast Missouri: Single, Single, Triple
SKYLER HUNTER'S REACHED BASE SAFELY STREAKS
• Overall: 24 Consecutive Games – Since March 20
• At Alexander Field: 28 Consecutive Games – Since April 10, 2018
• Against Big Ten Teams: 37 Consecutive Games – Since April 13, 2018
OVERALL REACHED BASE SAFELY STREAKS LONGER THAN 24 GAMES SINCE 2005
• Ryne White 52 – 2007
• Cameron Perkins 50 – 2011
• Jordan Comadena 28 – 2008
• Jon Moore 28 – 2008
• Mitch Hilligoss 27 – 2006
• Spencer Ingaldson 26 – 2005
• Kevin Plawecki 25 – 2012
MOST STRIKEOUTS AS A RELIEF PITCHER THIS SEASON
• Thanks to Ohio State for sharing the data it collected on the top strikeout performances by relievers nationally this season. Trent Johnson remains one of only four relievers with a double-figure strikeout performance.
MORE STRIKEOUT TOTALS TO WATCH
• 2019 Team Total: 384
• Purdue Single-Season Record: 435 in 2010
• Purdue's Other 400-Strikeout Seasons: 422 in 2018, 419 in 2011
• 2019 Strikeouts Per 9 Innings: 9.29
• Purdue's Single-Season Record for Ks Per 9: 7.76 in 2010
• Purdue's Double-Figure Strikeout Games This Season: 20
WEEKEND SERIES INFORMATION
Michigan State (14-28, 3-11 B1G) at Purdue (17-26, 6-8 B1G)
Friday, May 3 to Sunday, May 5 at 6 p.m., 6 p.m. and 1 p.m. ET / BTN Plus on BTN2Go
Alexander Field / West Lafayette, Indiana
All-Time Series: MSU leads 83-71 / All-Time in West Lafayette: Purdue leads 42-39
Last Series: MSU won 2 of 3 (April 2016 in West Lafayette)
Purdue's Last Series Win vs. MSU: Purdue won 2 of 3 (April 2012 in West Lafayette)
First Meetings: Split a 2-game series (May 1949 in West Lafayette)
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Trent Johnson (So, RHP) vs. MSU's Mason Erla (R-So, RHP)
Saturday: Andrew Bohm (R-So, RHP) vs. MSU's Mitchell Tyranski (Jr, LHP)
Sunday: Patrick J. Smith (Sr, LHP) vs. MSU's Caleb Sleeman (R-Jr, RHP)
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Friday: Craft Beer Night – $25 ticket includes 10 samples and Purdue pint glass
Saturday: Star Wars Night – First 500 fans to donate a children's book or playground toy receive Purdue Star Wars poster
Sunday: Bark at the Park – Bring your dog to Alexander; first 250 fans receive a Frisbee chew toy
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – With final exams week on campus complete, Purdue baseball resumes Big Ten play by hosting the only conference rival it has yet to play during Mark Wasikowski's three years as head coach, Michigan State.
First pitch at Alexander Field is slated for 6 p.m. ET on Friday and Saturday. The annual Bark at the Park dog day is Sunday at 1 p.m. Proof of a current rabies vaccination is required for dogs to enter the ballpark. Fans are asked to keep their dogs on the grass berm down the left field line. Saturday is the annual Alumni Day at Alexander as well as Star Wars Night in honor of May the Fourth Be With You.
The Boilermakers have not played MSU since April 2016, meaning no active members of the program have taken the field against Michigan State. Since that series, Purdue has played 180 games vs. 45 different opponents since last squaring off against the Spartans. Due to a quirk in the Big Ten schedule related to conference expansion, the Boilermakers visited MSU's McLane Stadium for three straight years from 2013 to 2015. They'll be going back to East Lansing next season as part of their Big Ten schedule that will also feature visits to Ann Arbor, Iowa City and Minneapolis.
It's a big series for Purdue this weekend. The Boilermakers are in 10th place in the league standings, just a half game behind the eighth and final berth in the Big Ten Tournament field. With Michigan State in 12th place and 5-22 away from East Lansing this season, Purdue needs as many wins as possible this weekend to maintain control of its own destiny in the Big Ten Tournament chase.
Reaching 12 wins in league play should be enough to clinch a third straight Big Ten Tournament berth. The Boilermakers need six wins over the next three weekends to reach 12 victories. They visit Illinois next weekend and host Ohio State to close the regular season. Ohio State and Rutgers are currently tied for eighth place, with OSU holding the tiebreaker. Maryland is among the three teams tied for fifth at 8-7 in league play and has the toughest May schedule in the conference – vs. Michigan, at Minnesota and vs. Iowa.
BIG TEN WEEKEND SERIES // MAY 3-5
• Michigan State (3-11) at Purdue (6-8)
• Michigan (11-3) at Maryland (8-7)
• Ohio State (7-8) at Minnesota (8-7)
• Indiana (11-4) at Illinois (8-7)
• Rutgers (7-8) at Penn State (2-15)
• Nebraska (12-6) at Northwestern (6-9) – Saturday to Monday
• Non-Conference: UC Irvine at Iowa (11-7)
TIMELY HITTING COMES AROUND DURING HOMESTAND
• Purdue is currently 4-1 on its season-long nine-game homestand. The Boilermakers have scored 37 runs in their last five games thanks to some big improvements in situational hitting. Timely hitting was a facet of the game that haunted the Boilermakers through long stretches over the first 10 weekends of the season. But one could argue it was just a matter of time until some of those numbers improved.
| Situational Statistic | First 38 Games | Since March 22 | Current Homestand | Season |
| Runners On Base | .228 | .253 | .360 | .246 |
| RISP | .205 | .238 | .355 | .229 |
| With 2 Outs | .178 | .215 | .294 | .191 |
| 2-Out RBI | 26 (of 118) | 28 (of 89) | 9 (of 34) | 35 (of 152) |
| Purdue Record | 13-25 | 12-11 | 4-1 | 17-26 |
MILESTONES IN SIGHT THIS WEEKEND
• Skyler Hunter's Career Hits Total: 194
• Trent Johnson's Career Strikeouts Total: 95
A-BOHM FINISHED APRIL STRONG
• Despite not having a win to show for his efforts, Andrew Bohm has pitched very well over his last three starts. He remains the only Boilermaker to make a start on the mound each of the first 11 weekends. In his last three starts, he has been on the mound for 18 1/3 of the 26 innings in which Purdue has been in the field. He put together quality starts at Rutgers (6 2/3 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K) and vs. Southeast Missouri (6 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 8 K), but took the loss in both outings after the Boilermakers only scored a combined two runs. Thanks in part to a 1-for-17 showing against him with two outs, Bohm has surrendered fewer hits than innings pitched in each of his last three outings. Unfortunately, two of the 11 hits he has surrendered were home runs.
• Bohm's Last 3 Starts: 18 1/3 IP, 11 H, 8 ER, 10 BB, 18 K, .177 B/Avg, 1.15 WHIP
MILO MAKING IT HAPPEN
• Milo Beam has posted his six-game RBI streak despite batting leadoff in the last five games and eighth in the lineup in the opening game of his streak April 21 at Rutgers. He's the eighth Boilermaker with an RBI in six consecutive games this decade. He has accomplished the feat thanks to a 4-for-7 showing with runners in scoring position coupled with three successful squeeze bunts and his first collegiate home run in his final at-bat of the April 26 win vs. Southeast Missouri. When the streak began, the junior had nine RBI in 111 career games.
| LONGEST RBI STREAKS THIS DECADE | |||
| Season | Boilermaker | RBI Streak | Total RBI |
| 2016 | Kyle Wood | 7 | 14 |
| 2012 | Kevin Plawecki | 6 | 15 |
| 2018 | Jacson McGowan | 6 | 12 |
| 2010 | Drew Madia | 6 | 11 |
| 2017 | Nick Dalesandro | 6 | 10 |
| 2012 | Cameron Perkins | 6 | 10 |
| 2019 | Milo Beam | 6 | 8 |
| 2012 | Barrett Serrato | 6 | 6 |
McKENZIE'S 11-GAME HIT & ON BASE MULTIPLE TIMES STREAK
• Cole McKenzie is not only riding a season-best 11-game hit streak, the junior has also reached base safely multiple times in all 11 games of the streak. He's 20-for-40 with 8 RBI, 9 runs scored and a .563 on-base percentage during the streak, recording seven multi-hit games. His average has climbed from .242 on April 12 to .305 entering the month of May.
• McKenzie has also excelled with his situational hitting during the streak. He's 8-for-15 with runners in scoring position, collecting five of his eight RBI with two outs. He has reached base safely to begin an inning in five of his eight opportunities.
• April 13 vs. Iowa (G1): Single, Walk
• April 13 vs. Iowa (G2): Home Run, Single
• April 16 vs. Butler: Single, Single, HBP
• April 19 at Rutgers: Single, Single, Single
• April 20 at Rutgers: Single, Walk
• April 21 at Rutgers: Single, Single
• April 23 vs. Chicago State: Single, Single
• April 24 vs. Purdue Fort Wayne: Walk, Double, Walk
• April 26 vs. Southeast Missouri: Single, Single
• April 27 vs. Southeast Missouri: Walk, Walk, Single
• April 28 vs. Southeast Missouri: Single, Single, Triple
SKYLER HUNTER'S REACHED BASE SAFELY STREAKS
• Overall: 24 Consecutive Games – Since March 20
• At Alexander Field: 28 Consecutive Games – Since April 10, 2018
• Against Big Ten Teams: 37 Consecutive Games – Since April 13, 2018
OVERALL REACHED BASE SAFELY STREAKS LONGER THAN 24 GAMES SINCE 2005
• Ryne White 52 – 2007
• Cameron Perkins 50 – 2011
• Jordan Comadena 28 – 2008
• Jon Moore 28 – 2008
• Mitch Hilligoss 27 – 2006
• Spencer Ingaldson 26 – 2005
• Kevin Plawecki 25 – 2012
MOST STRIKEOUTS AS A RELIEF PITCHER THIS SEASON
• Thanks to Ohio State for sharing the data it collected on the top strikeout performances by relievers nationally this season. Trent Johnson remains one of only four relievers with a double-figure strikeout performance.
| Strikeouts | Pitcher (Team) | Innings Pitched | Opponent |
| 13 | Adam Jewell (VMI) | 4 2/3 | Northern Kentucky |
| 11 | Andrew Magno (Ohio St.) | 4 | Maryland |
| 11 | Conor Grady (Florida St.) | 5 1/3 | Clemson |
| 10 | Trent Johnson (Purdue) | 4 1/3 | Northwestern |
| 9 | Cole Cook (Bradley) | 5 | Central Arkansas |
MORE STRIKEOUT TOTALS TO WATCH
• 2019 Team Total: 384
• Purdue Single-Season Record: 435 in 2010
• Purdue's Other 400-Strikeout Seasons: 422 in 2018, 419 in 2011
• 2019 Strikeouts Per 9 Innings: 9.29
• Purdue's Single-Season Record for Ks Per 9: 7.76 in 2010
• Purdue's Double-Figure Strikeout Games This Season: 20