GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Purdue (1-3 • 7-7 in 2020) vs. No. 19 Michigan (3-1 • 8-7 in 2020)
Friday, March 12 to Sunday, March 14 / BTN+
Series Opener: Friday at 1 p.m. ET
Doubleheader: Saturday at 9 a.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday at 9 a.m. ET
Fluor Field / Greenville, South Carolina
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Trent Johnson (Sr, RHP) vs. Michigan's Steve Hajjar (R-So, LHP)
Saturday Game 1: Calvin Schapira (Jr, LHP) vs. Michigan's Cameron Weston (So, RHP)
Saturday Game 2: Calvin Starnes (Jr, RHP) vs. Michigan's Jacob Denner (So, LHP)
Sunday: Jett Jackson (So, RHP) vs. Michigan's Blake Beers (Sr, RHP)
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Michigan leads 146-63
All-Time at a Neutral Site: Michigan leads 6-2
Last Meeting: Purdue 5, Michigan 4 (2018 Big Ten Tournament in Omaha)
Last Series: Purdue swept a 3-game set (May 2018 in West Lafayette)
Last Series in Ann Arbor: Michigan swept a 3-game set (April 2015)
Last Regular-Season Neutral Site Game: Michigan 4, Purdue 3 – 10 Innings (Feb. 2009 in Clearwater, Fla.)
First Meeting: Michigan 18, Purdue 0 (April 1983 in Ann Arbor)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue and Michigan play at the same stadium for the second weekend in a row, but this time they square off against each other at Fluor Field, a Fenway Park replica in South Carolina's largest city.
It's another four-game series at a neutral site, with Michigan the designated home team this weekend. Game times are set for Friday at 1 p.m. ET, a Saturday doubleheader at 9 a.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m. Saturday's twinbills is again comprised of a seven-inning game 1 and nine-inning game 2. However, the nightcap can be shortened to seven innings if game 1 goes at least nine or a team is leading by 10-plus runs after seven.
Michigan State and Northwestern are also playing at Fluor Field this weekend. The Spartans have been frequent visitors to Greenville over the last decade. The owner of the Greenville Drive, the Boston Red Sox's High-A affiliate that calls the stadium home, is an MSU alumnus. The Spartans won three of four vs. Maryland at Fluor Field last weekend.
Purdue has played in North Carolina each of the last three years and four times dating back to 2015, visiting Cullowhee (2015), Chapel Hill (2018), Marion (2019) and Buies Creek (2020). However, the Boilermakers have not played in the Palmetto State since the 2002 spring break trip. That was an eight-game tour of the state that featured weekend series at Clemson and Coastal Carolina as well as midweek games at Wofford and South Carolina.
The opening weekend of the Big Ten season saw both Purdue and Michigan emerge victorious on Opening Day, but the Wolverines went on to take three of four from Iowa while the Boilermakers lost three straight to drop their series with Nebraska. Those game were played at the Triple-A ballpark in Round Rock, Texas.
Purdue won all four meetings with Michigan at the end of the 2018 season, punctuated by a walk-off win on day 2 of the Big Ten Tournament. The series sweep at Alexander Field the final weekend of the regular season was the Boilermakers' first sweep of U-M since 1993.
Purdue's four wins vs. the Wolverines over a stretch of five games in May 2018 helped propel the Boilermakers to an at-large berth in an NCAA Regional. In many ways, those victories vs. U-M highlighted the memorable 21-2 hot streak the team reeled off. Skyler Hunter, Ben Nisle, Tyler Powers and Trent Johnson are the active Boilermakers that played in those games vs. the Wolverines.
The following year, it was Michigan that earned an at-large bid in a Regional. The Wolverines received a West Coast draw and enjoyed a memorable run to Omaha. They won their Regional at Oregon State and Super Regional at UCLA. Victories against Texas Tech and Florida State in Omaha propelled U-M into the championship series vs. Vanderbilt. The Wolverines won the opener vs. Vandy before running into some hot pitching. From May 17 through June 24 of that season, Michigan posted an impressive 13-4 record while playing in lots of high stakes games.
HIGHS & LOWS ON THE MOUND
• Purdue pitching impressed with its ability to rack up strikeouts in the Nebraska series. The Boilermakers posted top five single-game totals (15 Friday, 16 Sunday) in program history to open and close the series. Their 46 Ks are believed to be a program record for a four-game series and are confirmed as only the second 40-strikeout showing by the staff since 2001. But they also struggled with walks on Saturday. The 14 walks issued (in just seven innings) in the nightcap of the doubleheader matched the most Purdue had allowed in a game since 2001.
• Individually, Jett Jackson was one of six pitchers in the Big Ten to post a double-figure strikeout total during the league's opening weekend. By striking out 10 of the 20 batters he faced, he became just the seventh Boilermaker since 2005 to strikeout at least half the batters he faced while registering a minimum five strikeouts. Nolan Daniel nearly joined Jackson on the list, fanning four of the six batters he faced in his team debut Sunday.
• Jackson Smeltz and Jackson both struck out three consecutive batters in an inning during the series. Smeltz did it in the ninth inning Friday to set the stage for Purdue's walk-off win in the bottom half of the frame.
MOST WALKS IN A GAME (SINCE 2001)
• 14 vs Nebraska – March 2020 (L, 10-0)
• 14 Ohio State – March 2013 (L, 10-1; first game at Alexander Field)
• 11 Minnesota – April 2018 (L, 22-7)
• 11 at IPFW – April 2009 (L, 22-19)
• 11 at Texas State – February 2009 (L, 14-10)
• 10 on 11 on occasions since 2001, most recently: at Texas – February 2019 (L, 7-2)
CAREER DOUBLE-FIGURE STRIKEOUT PERFORMANCES (SINCE 2005)
8 – Matt Bischoff, 2007-10
• Career High & Most Dominant: 12 vs Mississippi Valley State, 2009 (28 Batters Faced, 43%)
3 – Matt Morgan, 2008-11
• Career High & Most Dominant: 14 at Ohio, 2010 (31 Batters Faced, 45%)
2 – Lance Breedlove, 2011-12
• Career High & Most Dominant: 11 vs Cincinnati, 2012 (24 Batters Faced, 46%)
2 – Dan Sattler, 2004-07
• Career High: 12 -- Northwestern, 2006; Most Dominant: 10 vs. Chicago State (26 Batters Faced, 38%)
2 – Jay Buente, 2003-06
• Career High: 11 at Louisiana, 2006; Most Dominant: 10 vs. Northwestern (21 Batters Faced, 48%)
2 – Matt Jansen, 2007-10
• Career High: 11 at Evansville, 2009; Most Dominant: 10 at Evansville, 2010 (29 Batters Faced, 34%)
1 – Jett Jackson, 2020-Pr
• Career High: 10 vs Nebraska, 2021 (20 Batters Faced, 50%)
1 – Trent Johnson, 2018-Pr
• Career High: 10 at Northwestern, 2019 (15 Batters Faced, 67%)
1 – Tanner Andrews, 2015-18
• Career High: 10 at Santa Clara, 2017 (27 Batters Faced, 37%)
Purdue (1-3 • 7-7 in 2020) vs. No. 19 Michigan (3-1 • 8-7 in 2020)
Friday, March 12 to Sunday, March 14 / BTN+
Series Opener: Friday at 1 p.m. ET
Doubleheader: Saturday at 9 a.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday at 9 a.m. ET
Fluor Field / Greenville, South Carolina
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Trent Johnson (Sr, RHP) vs. Michigan's Steve Hajjar (R-So, LHP)
Saturday Game 1: Calvin Schapira (Jr, LHP) vs. Michigan's Cameron Weston (So, RHP)
Saturday Game 2: Calvin Starnes (Jr, RHP) vs. Michigan's Jacob Denner (So, LHP)
Sunday: Jett Jackson (So, RHP) vs. Michigan's Blake Beers (Sr, RHP)
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Michigan leads 146-63
All-Time at a Neutral Site: Michigan leads 6-2
Last Meeting: Purdue 5, Michigan 4 (2018 Big Ten Tournament in Omaha)
Last Series: Purdue swept a 3-game set (May 2018 in West Lafayette)
Last Series in Ann Arbor: Michigan swept a 3-game set (April 2015)
Last Regular-Season Neutral Site Game: Michigan 4, Purdue 3 – 10 Innings (Feb. 2009 in Clearwater, Fla.)
First Meeting: Michigan 18, Purdue 0 (April 1983 in Ann Arbor)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue and Michigan play at the same stadium for the second weekend in a row, but this time they square off against each other at Fluor Field, a Fenway Park replica in South Carolina's largest city.
It's another four-game series at a neutral site, with Michigan the designated home team this weekend. Game times are set for Friday at 1 p.m. ET, a Saturday doubleheader at 9 a.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m. Saturday's twinbills is again comprised of a seven-inning game 1 and nine-inning game 2. However, the nightcap can be shortened to seven innings if game 1 goes at least nine or a team is leading by 10-plus runs after seven.
Michigan State and Northwestern are also playing at Fluor Field this weekend. The Spartans have been frequent visitors to Greenville over the last decade. The owner of the Greenville Drive, the Boston Red Sox's High-A affiliate that calls the stadium home, is an MSU alumnus. The Spartans won three of four vs. Maryland at Fluor Field last weekend.
Purdue has played in North Carolina each of the last three years and four times dating back to 2015, visiting Cullowhee (2015), Chapel Hill (2018), Marion (2019) and Buies Creek (2020). However, the Boilermakers have not played in the Palmetto State since the 2002 spring break trip. That was an eight-game tour of the state that featured weekend series at Clemson and Coastal Carolina as well as midweek games at Wofford and South Carolina.
The opening weekend of the Big Ten season saw both Purdue and Michigan emerge victorious on Opening Day, but the Wolverines went on to take three of four from Iowa while the Boilermakers lost three straight to drop their series with Nebraska. Those game were played at the Triple-A ballpark in Round Rock, Texas.
Purdue won all four meetings with Michigan at the end of the 2018 season, punctuated by a walk-off win on day 2 of the Big Ten Tournament. The series sweep at Alexander Field the final weekend of the regular season was the Boilermakers' first sweep of U-M since 1993.
Purdue's four wins vs. the Wolverines over a stretch of five games in May 2018 helped propel the Boilermakers to an at-large berth in an NCAA Regional. In many ways, those victories vs. U-M highlighted the memorable 21-2 hot streak the team reeled off. Skyler Hunter, Ben Nisle, Tyler Powers and Trent Johnson are the active Boilermakers that played in those games vs. the Wolverines.
The following year, it was Michigan that earned an at-large bid in a Regional. The Wolverines received a West Coast draw and enjoyed a memorable run to Omaha. They won their Regional at Oregon State and Super Regional at UCLA. Victories against Texas Tech and Florida State in Omaha propelled U-M into the championship series vs. Vanderbilt. The Wolverines won the opener vs. Vandy before running into some hot pitching. From May 17 through June 24 of that season, Michigan posted an impressive 13-4 record while playing in lots of high stakes games.
HIGHS & LOWS ON THE MOUND
• Purdue pitching impressed with its ability to rack up strikeouts in the Nebraska series. The Boilermakers posted top five single-game totals (15 Friday, 16 Sunday) in program history to open and close the series. Their 46 Ks are believed to be a program record for a four-game series and are confirmed as only the second 40-strikeout showing by the staff since 2001. But they also struggled with walks on Saturday. The 14 walks issued (in just seven innings) in the nightcap of the doubleheader matched the most Purdue had allowed in a game since 2001.
• Individually, Jett Jackson was one of six pitchers in the Big Ten to post a double-figure strikeout total during the league's opening weekend. By striking out 10 of the 20 batters he faced, he became just the seventh Boilermaker since 2005 to strikeout at least half the batters he faced while registering a minimum five strikeouts. Nolan Daniel nearly joined Jackson on the list, fanning four of the six batters he faced in his team debut Sunday.
• Jackson Smeltz and Jackson both struck out three consecutive batters in an inning during the series. Smeltz did it in the ninth inning Friday to set the stage for Purdue's walk-off win in the bottom half of the frame.
| MOST STRIKEOUTS IN A 4-GAME SERIES (SINCE 2001) | |||||
| Season | Opponent | Strikeouts | Innings | K/9 | Results |
| 2021 | vs Nebraska | 46 | 32 | 12.94 | Lost 3 of 4 |
| 2006 | Northwestern | 41 | 32 | 11.53 | Split 2-2 |
| 2017 | at Santa Clara | 35 | 36 | 8.75 | Won All 4 |
| 2017 | at Texas State | 33 | 34 2/3 | 8.57 | Split 2-2 |
| 2011 | at Morehead State | 32 | 35 2/3 | 8.07 | Won 3 of 4 |
| 2020 | vs Hofstra | 31 | 36 | 7.75 | Won 3 of 4 |
| 2019 | at Texas | 31 | 33 | 8.45 | Lost 3 of 4 |
| 2004 | Michigan State | 31 | 32 | 8.72 | Won 3 of 4 |
| 2007 | Iowa | 30 | 32 | 8.44 | Split 2-2 |
MOST WALKS IN A GAME (SINCE 2001)
• 14 vs Nebraska – March 2020 (L, 10-0)
• 14 Ohio State – March 2013 (L, 10-1; first game at Alexander Field)
• 11 Minnesota – April 2018 (L, 22-7)
• 11 at IPFW – April 2009 (L, 22-19)
• 11 at Texas State – February 2009 (L, 14-10)
• 10 on 11 on occasions since 2001, most recently: at Texas – February 2019 (L, 7-2)
| NEUTRAL SITE WALK-OFFS (SINCE 1999) | |||||
| Date | Opponent | Location | Score (Innings) | GW RBI | GW Run |
| 3/5/2021 | Nebraska | Round Rock, Texas | 6-5 (9) | Zac Fascia | Ben Nisle |
| 3/9/2019 | NJIT | Marion, N.C. | 9-8 (9) | Cole McKenzie | Tyler Powers |
| 5/24/2018 | Michigan* | Omaha, Neb. | 5-4 (9) | Evan Warden | Milo Beam |
| 2/23/2018 | Incarnate Word | San Antonio, Texas | 5-4 (10) | Nick Dalesandro | Skyler Hunter |
| 3/19/2016 | Ohio | Kokomo, Ind. | 5-4 (15) | Alec Olund | Nick Dalesandro |
| 2/21/2015 | Sam Houston St. | Corpus Christi, Texas | 4-3 (12) | Michael Vilardo | Alec Olund |
| 2/20/2009 | Cincinnati | Clearwater, Fla. | 11-10 (9) | Dan Black | Ben Wolgamot |
| 5/27/2005 | Illinois* | Champaign, Ill. | 4-3 (11) | John Hunter | Eric Wolfe |
| 3/1/2003 | Boston College | Homestead, Fla. | 1-0 (9) | Daniel Underwood | Nick McIntyre |
| 3/19/1999 | Rider | Homestand, Fla. | 6-5 (10) | Ryan Cole | Ryan Cole |
| *Big Ten Tournament Game (Illinois hosted in 2005, but Purdue was designated home team) | |||||
| INDIVIDUAL DOUBLE-FIGURE STRIKEOUT GAMES (SINCE 2010) | |||||||
| Season | Pitcher | Opponent | Strikeouts | Batters Faced | Innings | K/9 | Result |
| 2021 | Jett Jackson | vs Nebraska | 10 | 20 | 4 1/3 | 20.78 | L, 4-0 |
| 2019 | Trent Johnson | at Northwestern | 10 | 15 | 4 1/3 | 20.78 | L, 2-1 |
| 2017 | Tanner Andrews | at Santa Clara | 10 | 27 | 7 2/3 | 11.74 | W, 3-0 |
| 2012 | Lance Breedlove | at Ohio State | 10 | 34 | 9 | 10.0 | W, 8-1 |
| 2012 | Lance Breedlove | vs Cincinnati | 11 | 24 | 7 | 14.14 | W, 6-0 |
| 2011 | Matt Morgan | at Lipscomb | 10 | 32 | 9 | 10.0 | W, 1-0 |
| 2010 | Matt Bischoff | Northwestern | 10 | 33 | 8 | 11.25 | W, 2-1 |
| 2010 | Matt Bischoff | Penn State | 10 | 26 | 6 | 15.0 | W, 18-7 |
| 2010 | Matt Bischoff | Minnesota | 10 | 32 | 9 | 10.0 | W, 3-2 |
| 2010 | Matt Morgan | at Ohio | 14 | 31 | 7 2/3 | 16.43 | W, 6-2 |
| 2010 | Matt Bischoff | vs Le Moyne | 11 | 28 | 8 | 12.38 | W, 3-0 |
CAREER DOUBLE-FIGURE STRIKEOUT PERFORMANCES (SINCE 2005)
8 – Matt Bischoff, 2007-10
• Career High & Most Dominant: 12 vs Mississippi Valley State, 2009 (28 Batters Faced, 43%)
3 – Matt Morgan, 2008-11
• Career High & Most Dominant: 14 at Ohio, 2010 (31 Batters Faced, 45%)
2 – Lance Breedlove, 2011-12
• Career High & Most Dominant: 11 vs Cincinnati, 2012 (24 Batters Faced, 46%)
2 – Dan Sattler, 2004-07
• Career High: 12 -- Northwestern, 2006; Most Dominant: 10 vs. Chicago State (26 Batters Faced, 38%)
2 – Jay Buente, 2003-06
• Career High: 11 at Louisiana, 2006; Most Dominant: 10 vs. Northwestern (21 Batters Faced, 48%)
2 – Matt Jansen, 2007-10
• Career High: 11 at Evansville, 2009; Most Dominant: 10 at Evansville, 2010 (29 Batters Faced, 34%)
1 – Jett Jackson, 2020-Pr
• Career High: 10 vs Nebraska, 2021 (20 Batters Faced, 50%)
1 – Trent Johnson, 2018-Pr
• Career High: 10 at Northwestern, 2019 (15 Batters Faced, 67%)
1 – Tanner Andrews, 2015-18
• Career High: 10 at Santa Clara, 2017 (27 Batters Faced, 37%)
| HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF STRIKEOUTS TO BATTERS FACED Minimum 5 Ks, Since 2005 // * = Started Game |
|||||
| Pitcher | Season | Opponent | Strikeouts | Batters Faced | Percent |
| Pat Gannon | 2012 | vs Anderson | 5 | 7 | 71 |
| Nick Wittgren | 2011 | Iowa | 5 | 7 | 71 |
| Josh Lindblom | 2008 | at Iowa | 5 | 7 | 71 |
| Trent Johnson | 2019 | at Northwestern | 10 | 15 | 67 |
| Joe Eichmann | 2014 | at Butler | 5 | 8 | 63 |
| Allan Donato | 2007 | at Western Kentucky | 5 | 9 | 56 |
| Nick Wittgren | 2011 | Michigan | 6 | 11 | 55 |
| Jett Jackson* | 2021 | vs Nebraska | 10 | 20 | 50 |
| Jay Buente* | 2006 | Northwestern | 10 | 21 | 48 |
| Eddie De LaRiva | 2016 | Nebraska | 9 | 19 | 47 |
| Kyle Wood | 2016 | at Western Carolina | 7 | 15 | 47 |
| Dalton Parker | 2017 | at Southeast Missouri | 6 | 13 | 46 |
| Lance Breedlove* | 2012 | vs Cincinnati | 11 | 24 | 46 |
| Matt Morgan* | 2010 | at Ohio | 14 | 31 | 45 |
| Shane Bryant* | 2016 | Ohio State | 9 | 20 | 45 |