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GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Hofstra (18-31-1 in 2019) vs. Purdue (20-34 in 2019)
Season Opener: Friday, Feb. 14 at 5 p.m. ET
Doubleheader: Saturday, Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday, Feb. 16 at Noon ET
Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium / Sanford, Florida
All-Time Series: First Meetings
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1: Trent Johnson (Jr, RHP) vs. Hofstra's Jack Jett (Sr, RHP)
Game 2: Jett Jackson (Fr, RHP) vs. Hofstra's Steven Boscia (Sr, RHP)
Game 3: TBA for Purdue vs. Hofstra's Ryan Rue (So, LHP)
Game 4: TBA for Purdue vs. TBA for Hofstra
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball begins its new campaign and new era under head coach Greg Goff with a four-game neutral-site series vs. Hofstra, opening up in the Sunshine State for the first time since 2013.
The Boilermakers and Pride square off at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium in Sanford, Florida, a ballpark located about 25 miles north of Orlando. The stadium was built in 1951 and served as the spring training home of the New York Giants. Hall of Famers Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays and Tim Raines all reportedly played on the field where the current stadium stands. It was refurbished in 2001 and currently serves as the home of the Sanford River Rats and Altamonte Springs Scorpions of the Florida Collegiate Summer League.
Friday's season opener is slated for 5 p.m. ET. The start time has been moved back two hours due to morning rain in the Orlando area. A doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. and the series finale is set for Sunday at noon. Purdue also opened with a four-game series in 2017 at Texas State, winning the first two games.
For five straight years from 2009 to 2013, the Boilermakers opened their season at the Big East/Big Ten Challenge in the St. Petersburg area of Florida's Gulf Coast. Purdue posted a combined 7-3 record over its final three years at that event. But the program has made just one trip to the state of Florida since 2014, winning two of three at Stetson's Tournament in DeLand in March 2018.
Hofstra is located on Long Island in Hempstead, New York. The Pride is a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.
FUN WITH NAMES IN FLORIDA
• Purdue's Jett Jackson is scheduled start game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader. He'll be the first Boilermaker to make his collegiate debut as a starting pitcher during a season-opening weekend since Jordan Minch in 2013. Meanwhile, Hofstra has tabbed Jack Jett as its starting pitcher for Friday's season opener.
• Purdue also has a Hofstra on its roster – Bo Hofstra. The junior pitcher should get an opportunity to face his namesake this weekend.
HUNTER A CONSTANT ON OPENING DAY
• Senior Skyler Hunter is in line to become the ninth Boilermaker since 2004 to make four consecutive opening day starts. Current assistant coach Harry Shipley was the last to do it. Assuming he starts Friday and chooses to return for his senior season, Ben Nisle could join the club in 2021.
• Junior Trent Johnson has been selected as Purdue's opening day starter on the mound. He has pitched in relief in the last two season openers. Matt Moore also appeared in relief in game 1 each of the last two years. Johnson finished the 2019 campaign as the Boilermakers' Friday starter. He recorded 29 strikeouts vs. 19 hits allowed while compiling a 2.51 ERA in 32 innings over his five starts last year.
MORE CURRENT BOILERMAKERS TO MAKE OPENING DAY STARTS
• Ben Nisle – 2018 & 2019, Left Field
• Dalton Parker – 2019, Pitcher
• Zac Fascia – 2019, Catcher
• Tyler Powers – 2019, Shortstop
• Johnny Sage – 2019, Right Field
• Milo Beam – 2017, Left Field
• First Man of the Bullpen – Matt Moore (2018), Bo Hofstra (2019
PURDUE AS THE "HOME" TEAM SINCE 2018
Neutral Site & Games at Alexander Field
• 2018: 22-6 (15-5 Home, 7-1 Neutral)
• 2019: 15-11 (13-10 Home, 2-1 Neutral)
• Last 2 Years Combined: 37-17 (28-15 Home, 9-2 Neutral)
• Last 2 Years Combined as "Visiting" Team: 20-38 (16-35 Road, 4-3 Neutral)
PURDUE'S RECENT NEUTRAL-SITE SERIES
• March 2019 – Won 2 of 3 vs. NJIT in Marion, N.C.
• February 2018 – Swept a 3-game set vs. Western Michigan in Emerson, Ga.
• March 2016 – Lost 2 of 3 vs. Ohio in Kokomo, Ind.
• March 2015 – Won 2 of 3 vs. Northern Illinois in Westfield, Ind.
• April 2011 – Lost 2 of 3 vs. Minnesota at Target Field (Gophers officially the "home" team)
DID YOU KNOW
• Tyler Powers started at least 10 games at three different infield positions in 2019 – third base (29), second base (13) and shortstop (11). He was the only Boilermaker with a double-figure start total at three different positions.
• In 2019, Trent Johnson and Andrew Bohm became only the sixth and seventh pitchers in program history to reach the 100 career strikeout benchmarks as sophomores.
• Senior Milo Beam has played in 72 career games off the bench, easily the most of any active Boilermaker. He is also the only current player with more runs scored (45) than hits (41), scoring the decisive run in a walk-off win three times in his career.
• Skyler Hunter has nearly 100 more hits (204) than strikeouts (107) in his career. Bryce Bonner sports the best career ratio of walks (51) to strikeouts (54).
DOMINANT ARMS
• Four current Boilermakers – Trent Johnson, Bo Hofstra, Matt Moore and Trevor Cheaney – all have more career strikeouts than both innings pitched and hits allowed. As a natural correlation, they also have more innings pitched than hits allowed.
• Meanwhile, Andrew Bohm and James Kulak have more strikeouts than innings pitched. Dalton Parker and Conner Tomasic have more innings pitched than hits allowed.
• As Purdue's all-time leader in both categories, Johnson's sports a team-best 4.26 difference in his career ratios for strikeouts per nine innings and hit allowed per nine innings.
• Cheaney is back this season as redshirt senior after an injury sidelined him in 2019. He was one of Purdue's top relievers during the 38-win campaign two years ago.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Hofstra (18-31-1 in 2019) vs. Purdue (20-34 in 2019)
Season Opener: Friday, Feb. 14 at 5 p.m. ET
Doubleheader: Saturday, Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday, Feb. 16 at Noon ET
Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium / Sanford, Florida
All-Time Series: First Meetings
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1: Trent Johnson (Jr, RHP) vs. Hofstra's Jack Jett (Sr, RHP)
Game 2: Jett Jackson (Fr, RHP) vs. Hofstra's Steven Boscia (Sr, RHP)
Game 3: TBA for Purdue vs. Hofstra's Ryan Rue (So, LHP)
Game 4: TBA for Purdue vs. TBA for Hofstra
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball begins its new campaign and new era under head coach Greg Goff with a four-game neutral-site series vs. Hofstra, opening up in the Sunshine State for the first time since 2013.
The Boilermakers and Pride square off at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium in Sanford, Florida, a ballpark located about 25 miles north of Orlando. The stadium was built in 1951 and served as the spring training home of the New York Giants. Hall of Famers Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays and Tim Raines all reportedly played on the field where the current stadium stands. It was refurbished in 2001 and currently serves as the home of the Sanford River Rats and Altamonte Springs Scorpions of the Florida Collegiate Summer League.
Friday's season opener is slated for 5 p.m. ET. The start time has been moved back two hours due to morning rain in the Orlando area. A doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. and the series finale is set for Sunday at noon. Purdue also opened with a four-game series in 2017 at Texas State, winning the first two games.
For five straight years from 2009 to 2013, the Boilermakers opened their season at the Big East/Big Ten Challenge in the St. Petersburg area of Florida's Gulf Coast. Purdue posted a combined 7-3 record over its final three years at that event. But the program has made just one trip to the state of Florida since 2014, winning two of three at Stetson's Tournament in DeLand in March 2018.
Hofstra is located on Long Island in Hempstead, New York. The Pride is a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.
FUN WITH NAMES IN FLORIDA
• Purdue's Jett Jackson is scheduled start game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader. He'll be the first Boilermaker to make his collegiate debut as a starting pitcher during a season-opening weekend since Jordan Minch in 2013. Meanwhile, Hofstra has tabbed Jack Jett as its starting pitcher for Friday's season opener.
• Purdue also has a Hofstra on its roster – Bo Hofstra. The junior pitcher should get an opportunity to face his namesake this weekend.
HUNTER A CONSTANT ON OPENING DAY
• Senior Skyler Hunter is in line to become the ninth Boilermaker since 2004 to make four consecutive opening day starts. Current assistant coach Harry Shipley was the last to do it. Assuming he starts Friday and chooses to return for his senior season, Ben Nisle could join the club in 2021.
• Junior Trent Johnson has been selected as Purdue's opening day starter on the mound. He has pitched in relief in the last two season openers. Matt Moore also appeared in relief in game 1 each of the last two years. Johnson finished the 2019 campaign as the Boilermakers' Friday starter. He recorded 29 strikeouts vs. 19 hits allowed while compiling a 2.51 ERA in 32 innings over his five starts last year.
| RECENT BOILERMAKERS TO MAKE 4 OPENING DAY STARTS | ||
| Player | Years | Positions |
| Skyler Hunter | 2017-20 | CF, CF, CF, CF |
| Harry Shipley | 2015-18 | SS, SS, SS, SS |
| Kyle Wood | 2013-16 | 1B, 1B, 1B, 1B |
| Jack Picchiotti | 2013-16 | C, DH, C, C |
| Kyle Johnson | 2013-16 | RF, CF, CF, CF |
| Tyler Spillner | 2009-12 | DH, LF, CF, CF |
| Jon Moore | 2007-10 | CF, CF, CF, CF |
| Eric Wolfe | 2003-06 | 1B, 1B, 1B, 1B |
| Mitch Koester | 2001-04 | 3B, 3B, SS, SS |
MORE CURRENT BOILERMAKERS TO MAKE OPENING DAY STARTS
• Ben Nisle – 2018 & 2019, Left Field
• Dalton Parker – 2019, Pitcher
• Zac Fascia – 2019, Catcher
• Tyler Powers – 2019, Shortstop
• Johnny Sage – 2019, Right Field
• Milo Beam – 2017, Left Field
• First Man of the Bullpen – Matt Moore (2018), Bo Hofstra (2019
PURDUE AS THE "HOME" TEAM SINCE 2018
Neutral Site & Games at Alexander Field
• 2018: 22-6 (15-5 Home, 7-1 Neutral)
• 2019: 15-11 (13-10 Home, 2-1 Neutral)
• Last 2 Years Combined: 37-17 (28-15 Home, 9-2 Neutral)
• Last 2 Years Combined as "Visiting" Team: 20-38 (16-35 Road, 4-3 Neutral)
PURDUE'S RECENT NEUTRAL-SITE SERIES
• March 2019 – Won 2 of 3 vs. NJIT in Marion, N.C.
• February 2018 – Swept a 3-game set vs. Western Michigan in Emerson, Ga.
• March 2016 – Lost 2 of 3 vs. Ohio in Kokomo, Ind.
• March 2015 – Won 2 of 3 vs. Northern Illinois in Westfield, Ind.
• April 2011 – Lost 2 of 3 vs. Minnesota at Target Field (Gophers officially the "home" team)
DID YOU KNOW
• Tyler Powers started at least 10 games at three different infield positions in 2019 – third base (29), second base (13) and shortstop (11). He was the only Boilermaker with a double-figure start total at three different positions.
• In 2019, Trent Johnson and Andrew Bohm became only the sixth and seventh pitchers in program history to reach the 100 career strikeout benchmarks as sophomores.
• Senior Milo Beam has played in 72 career games off the bench, easily the most of any active Boilermaker. He is also the only current player with more runs scored (45) than hits (41), scoring the decisive run in a walk-off win three times in his career.
• Skyler Hunter has nearly 100 more hits (204) than strikeouts (107) in his career. Bryce Bonner sports the best career ratio of walks (51) to strikeouts (54).
DOMINANT ARMS
• Four current Boilermakers – Trent Johnson, Bo Hofstra, Matt Moore and Trevor Cheaney – all have more career strikeouts than both innings pitched and hits allowed. As a natural correlation, they also have more innings pitched than hits allowed.
• Meanwhile, Andrew Bohm and James Kulak have more strikeouts than innings pitched. Dalton Parker and Conner Tomasic have more innings pitched than hits allowed.
• As Purdue's all-time leader in both categories, Johnson's sports a team-best 4.26 difference in his career ratios for strikeouts per nine innings and hit allowed per nine innings.
• Cheaney is back this season as redshirt senior after an injury sidelined him in 2019. He was one of Purdue's top relievers during the 38-win campaign two years ago.
| Pitcher | Innings | Hits Allowed | Strikeouts | Hits Per 9, Ks Per 9 |
| Trent Johnson | 101 1/3 | 64 | 112 | 5.69, 9.95 |
| Bo Hofstra | 91 1/3 | 74 | 96 | 7.29, 9.46 |
| Matt Moore | 38 1/3 | 32 | 46 | 7.51, 10.80 |
| Andrew Bohm | 95 | 96 | 102 | 9.09, 9.66 |
| Dalton Parker | 94 1/3 | 75 | 79 | 7.16, 7.54 |
| Trevor Cheaney | 40 | 32 | 44 | 7.20, 9.90 |
| James Kulak | 25 2/3 | 30 | 27 | 10.52, 9.46 |
| Conner Tomasic | 19 2/3 | 18 | 15 | 8.24, 6.86 |