GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Purdue (10-18) at Ohio State (15-13)
Friday, April 30 to Sunday, May 2 / BTN+
Series Opener: Friday at 6 p.m. ET
Middle Game: Saturday at 3 p.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday at 1 p.m. ET
Bill Davis Stadium / Columbus, Ohio
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Calvin Schapira (Jr, LHP) vs. OSU's Garrett Burhenn (Jr, RHP)
Saturday: Trent Johnson (Sr, RHP) vs. OSU's Seth Lonsway (R-Jr, LHP)
Sunday: Cory Brooks (R-Jr, RHP) vs. OSU's Jack Neely (Jr, RHP)
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Ohio State leads 151-66-1
All-Time in Columbus: Ohio State leads 80-26
Last Series: Ohio State swept a 3-game set (May 2019 in West Lafayette)
Last Series in Columbus: Ohio State won 2 of 3 (May 2018)
Purdue's Last Series Win: Purdue won 2 of 3 (April 2017 in Columbus)
First Meeting: Purdue 4, OSU 3 (May 1913 in West Lafayette)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball begins its month of May stretch run with its final short road trip of the season, traveling east for a three-game set at Ohio State.
First pitch at Bill Davis Stadium is slated for 6 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
With three home series and a pair of four-game pod weekends comprising their last 17 games, the Boilermakers have not played a traditional three-game weekend series on the road since March 19 to 21 at Indiana. Their 4-3 mark in true road games is the team's top winning percentage of the year.
The road team has dominated the Purdue-OSU series in recent years. When the Buckeyes won the rubber game of the 2018 series in Columbus, it marked the first time the home team won a weekend set since 2006. The Boilermakers' two losses that weekend were their only two during a memorable 23-game stretch from April 20 to May 26, a 21-2 run that helped earn them an NCAA Regional bid. After Tanner Andrews pitched a complete game in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament, Purdue also beat OSU twice during that 23-game stretch.
Ben Nisle went 7-for-12 with two doubles, four RBI and no strikeouts in Columbus in 2018, essentially cementing his status as a unanimous selection for the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Skyler Hunter (3-for-8, 2B, 4 BB, HBP) reached base safely eight times in the series. A year earlier, Hunter's two-run single in the sixth inning was the difference in the Boilermakers' 2-1 rubber game win in Columbus. The 2017 series win at OSU's stadium stands as one of only two times since 2010 that Purdue has rallied to win a Big Ten series after dropping the opening game.
Meanwhile, Ohio State rode the momentum it built in a sweep at Alexander Field to close the 2019 regular season into a Big Ten Tournament title. The Buckeyes had to win all three games in West Lafayette just to clinch a Big Ten Tournament berth that year. Eight days after winning a 13-11 slugfest at Alexander – a game in which Purdue overcame an 8-0 deficit to pull even at 9-9 in the fifth inning – OSU topped Nebraska on championship Sunday in Omaha. The Buckeyes beat eventual national runner-up Michigan on the opening day of the Big Ten Tournament. Their reward for winning the tournament was drawing eventual national champion Vanderbilt as the four-seed in the Nashville Regional.
A four-game sweep of Indiana to open April coupled with a series-opening win at Michigan the following Friday put Ohio State in great position to battle for the conference title this season. But OSU is just 2-6 since April 10, with both wins coming at home against Penn State last weekend. The Buckeyes are 8-3 at home this year. The pitching staff leads the Big Ten with 296 strikeouts and 12 saves, compensating for a lineup batting a collective .234 (12th in league).
Saturday starter Seth Lonsway opened eyes around the country with 17 strikeouts in a seven-inning complete game shutout of Indiana on April 3. The electric left-hander struck out 14 over eight innings at Alexander Field in 2019. His .147 batting average against in 45 1/3 innings is among the best in the Big Ten, but he has suffered four losses in his eight starts.
HOMECOMING FOR BROOKS
• Hilliard, Ohio, native Cory Brooks returns home this weekend. He was the 2017 Huntington Park Pitcher of the Year as a senior at Hilliard Darby High School on the northwest side of the Columbus area, winning 10 games with a 0.81 ERA. The right-hander claimed an award named after the Triple-A stadium where Purdue won the 2012 Big Ten Tournament title.
• Brooks has been Purdue's top performer on the mound over the last three weekends, working 18 1/3 innings of three-run ball while compiling a 0.98 WHIP and .190 batting average against. The opposition is just 2-for-20 with runners on base against him during that stretch.
• With his performance Sunday in the 1-0 loss to Illinois, Brooks became just the 17th Boilermaker since 2001 to work at least eight scoreless innings in an outing. He was also the first to do it since April 2017.
CAN'T KEEP BOLTON OFF BASE LATELY
• Mike Bolton Jr. has played his way into an everyday spot in the lineup over the last two weekends. In his last eight games, he's 9-for-20 with a .633 on-base percentage and six stolen bases. He has reached base safely in 19 of his last 31 plate appearances and reached safely to begin an inning in six of his seven opportunities. The speedy outfielder from Chicago's South Side has reached base safely at least twice in each of the last six games that he has started and been on base in eight consecutive games overall.
• At 7-for-7 on stolen bases this season, Bolton is looking to become the first Boilermaker since Stephen Talbott (17-for-17) in 2011 to steal at least 10 bags without being thrown out.
SIMINGTON ZEROS IN ON 20-GAME STREAK
• With hit streaks of eight (March 5-14), six (March 26-April 4) and eight consecutive games (April 11-23) over the first 28 games of the season, it's no surprise that Miles Simington has reached base safely in all but one game (March 21 at Indiana) this year. He's currently riding a 17-game on-base streak. He can make it 20 with another strong showing this weekend in Columbus. Skyler Hunter is the only active Boilermaker with a 20-game reached safely streak. Hunter did it in three straight seasons – 21 in 2017, 24 in 2018 and 24 in 2019.
Purdue (10-18) at Ohio State (15-13)
Friday, April 30 to Sunday, May 2 / BTN+
Series Opener: Friday at 6 p.m. ET
Middle Game: Saturday at 3 p.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday at 1 p.m. ET
Bill Davis Stadium / Columbus, Ohio
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Calvin Schapira (Jr, LHP) vs. OSU's Garrett Burhenn (Jr, RHP)
Saturday: Trent Johnson (Sr, RHP) vs. OSU's Seth Lonsway (R-Jr, LHP)
Sunday: Cory Brooks (R-Jr, RHP) vs. OSU's Jack Neely (Jr, RHP)
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Ohio State leads 151-66-1
All-Time in Columbus: Ohio State leads 80-26
Last Series: Ohio State swept a 3-game set (May 2019 in West Lafayette)
Last Series in Columbus: Ohio State won 2 of 3 (May 2018)
Purdue's Last Series Win: Purdue won 2 of 3 (April 2017 in Columbus)
First Meeting: Purdue 4, OSU 3 (May 1913 in West Lafayette)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball begins its month of May stretch run with its final short road trip of the season, traveling east for a three-game set at Ohio State.
First pitch at Bill Davis Stadium is slated for 6 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
With three home series and a pair of four-game pod weekends comprising their last 17 games, the Boilermakers have not played a traditional three-game weekend series on the road since March 19 to 21 at Indiana. Their 4-3 mark in true road games is the team's top winning percentage of the year.
The road team has dominated the Purdue-OSU series in recent years. When the Buckeyes won the rubber game of the 2018 series in Columbus, it marked the first time the home team won a weekend set since 2006. The Boilermakers' two losses that weekend were their only two during a memorable 23-game stretch from April 20 to May 26, a 21-2 run that helped earn them an NCAA Regional bid. After Tanner Andrews pitched a complete game in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament, Purdue also beat OSU twice during that 23-game stretch.
Ben Nisle went 7-for-12 with two doubles, four RBI and no strikeouts in Columbus in 2018, essentially cementing his status as a unanimous selection for the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Skyler Hunter (3-for-8, 2B, 4 BB, HBP) reached base safely eight times in the series. A year earlier, Hunter's two-run single in the sixth inning was the difference in the Boilermakers' 2-1 rubber game win in Columbus. The 2017 series win at OSU's stadium stands as one of only two times since 2010 that Purdue has rallied to win a Big Ten series after dropping the opening game.
Meanwhile, Ohio State rode the momentum it built in a sweep at Alexander Field to close the 2019 regular season into a Big Ten Tournament title. The Buckeyes had to win all three games in West Lafayette just to clinch a Big Ten Tournament berth that year. Eight days after winning a 13-11 slugfest at Alexander – a game in which Purdue overcame an 8-0 deficit to pull even at 9-9 in the fifth inning – OSU topped Nebraska on championship Sunday in Omaha. The Buckeyes beat eventual national runner-up Michigan on the opening day of the Big Ten Tournament. Their reward for winning the tournament was drawing eventual national champion Vanderbilt as the four-seed in the Nashville Regional.
A four-game sweep of Indiana to open April coupled with a series-opening win at Michigan the following Friday put Ohio State in great position to battle for the conference title this season. But OSU is just 2-6 since April 10, with both wins coming at home against Penn State last weekend. The Buckeyes are 8-3 at home this year. The pitching staff leads the Big Ten with 296 strikeouts and 12 saves, compensating for a lineup batting a collective .234 (12th in league).
Saturday starter Seth Lonsway opened eyes around the country with 17 strikeouts in a seven-inning complete game shutout of Indiana on April 3. The electric left-hander struck out 14 over eight innings at Alexander Field in 2019. His .147 batting average against in 45 1/3 innings is among the best in the Big Ten, but he has suffered four losses in his eight starts.
HOMECOMING FOR BROOKS
• Hilliard, Ohio, native Cory Brooks returns home this weekend. He was the 2017 Huntington Park Pitcher of the Year as a senior at Hilliard Darby High School on the northwest side of the Columbus area, winning 10 games with a 0.81 ERA. The right-hander claimed an award named after the Triple-A stadium where Purdue won the 2012 Big Ten Tournament title.
• Brooks has been Purdue's top performer on the mound over the last three weekends, working 18 1/3 innings of three-run ball while compiling a 0.98 WHIP and .190 batting average against. The opposition is just 2-for-20 with runners on base against him during that stretch.
• With his performance Sunday in the 1-0 loss to Illinois, Brooks became just the 17th Boilermaker since 2001 to work at least eight scoreless innings in an outing. He was also the first to do it since April 2017.
CAN'T KEEP BOLTON OFF BASE LATELY
• Mike Bolton Jr. has played his way into an everyday spot in the lineup over the last two weekends. In his last eight games, he's 9-for-20 with a .633 on-base percentage and six stolen bases. He has reached base safely in 19 of his last 31 plate appearances and reached safely to begin an inning in six of his seven opportunities. The speedy outfielder from Chicago's South Side has reached base safely at least twice in each of the last six games that he has started and been on base in eight consecutive games overall.
• At 7-for-7 on stolen bases this season, Bolton is looking to become the first Boilermaker since Stephen Talbott (17-for-17) in 2011 to steal at least 10 bags without being thrown out.
SIMINGTON ZEROS IN ON 20-GAME STREAK
• With hit streaks of eight (March 5-14), six (March 26-April 4) and eight consecutive games (April 11-23) over the first 28 games of the season, it's no surprise that Miles Simington has reached base safely in all but one game (March 21 at Indiana) this year. He's currently riding a 17-game on-base streak. He can make it 20 with another strong showing this weekend in Columbus. Skyler Hunter is the only active Boilermaker with a 20-game reached safely streak. Hunter did it in three straight seasons – 21 in 2017, 24 in 2018 and 24 in 2019.
| 8+ SHUTOUT INNINGS IN AN OUTING | ||||
| Date | Pitcher | Opponent | Scoreless Innings | Game Result |
| 4/25/2021 | Cory Brooks | Illinois | 8 | L, 1-0 |
| 4/22/2017 | Gareth Stroh | Illinois | 8 2/3 | W, 4-1 |
| 3/03/2017 | Tanner Andrews | at SE Missouri | 9 | W, 5-0 |
| 5/20/2016 | Matt Frawley | Cal State Northridge | 8 1/3 | W, 1-0 (10) |
| 5/19/2016 | Gavin Downs | Cal State Northridge | 9 | W, 5-0 |
| 4/22/2015 | Shane Bryant | Ball State | 8 | W, 6-0 |
| 5/11/2012 | Joe Haase | Michigan | 9 | W, 4-0 |
| 4/06/2012 | Joe Haase | at Northwestern | 9 | W, 7-0 |
| 3/31/2012 | Lance Breedlove | Penn State | 9 | W, 2-0 |
| 3/24/2012 | Lance Breedlove | at Ohio State | 8 2/3 | W, 8-1 |
| 4/02/2011 | Joe Haase | at Minnesota | 9 | W, 7-0 |
| 3/04/2011 | Matt Morgan | at Lipscomb | 9 | W, 1-0 |
| 4/24/2010 | Matt Bischoff | Northwestern | 8 | W, 2-1 |
| 3/12/2010 | Matt Bischoff | Le Moyne | 8 | W, 3-0 |
| 3/15/2009 | Matt Morgan | vs Purdue Fort Wayne | 8 2/3 | L, 1-0 |
| 3/14/2009 | Matt Jansen | at Evansville | 8 2/3 | W, 3-1 |
| 4/18/2007 | Matt Bischoff | at Notre Dame | 9 | L, 1-0 |
| 3/24/2007 | Ricky Heines | at Western Illinois | 9 | W, 7-0 |
| 2/24/2007 | Ricky Heines | at Georgia | 9 | W, 5-0 |
| 5/19/2006 | Dan Sattler | Northwestern | 8 | W, 11-3 |
| 4/21/2006 | Andrew Groves* | Michigan | 8 | L, 4-3 |
| 3/10/2006 | Jay Buente | at Missouri | 8 | W, 7-0 |
| 5/20/2005 | Scott Byrnes | at Indiana | 8 1/3 | W, 5-1 |
| 4/23/2004 | Scott Byrnes | Michigan State | 8 1/3 | W, 3-2 |
| 3/24/2002 | Mitch Pruemer | at Miami (Ohio) | 9 | W, 8-0 |
| 3/17/2002 | Mitch Pruemer | at Coastal Carolina | 9 | W, 4-0 |
| * -- Relief Appearance | ||||
| 3 HOME RUNS IN THE SAME INNING (SINCE 2001) | ||||
| Date | Opponent | Boilermakers | Types of HRs | Game Result |
| 4/23/2021 | Illinois | Ben Nisle Ryan Howe Kyle LaPlante |
Solo HR in 9th 2-Run HR in 9th Solo HR in 9th |
L, 6-5 |
| 2/18/2017 | at Texas State | Mike Madej Jacson McGowan Logan Posiall |
2-Run HR in 1st Solo HR in 1st Solo HR in 1st |
W, 12-8 |
| 5/11/2003 | at Indiana | John Hunter Daniel Underwood Nick McIntyre |
2-Run HR in 2nd 3-Run HR in 2nd 3-Run HR in 2nd |
W, 20-4 |
| 5/04/2002 | Minnesota | Daniel Underwood Kris Luce Adam Fazio |
Solo HR in 8th Solo HR in 8th 2-Run HR in 8th |
L, 10-9 |
| BACK-TO-BACK HOME RUNS (SINCE 2001) | ||||
| Date | Boilermakers | Opponent | Inning | Game Result |
| 4/23/2021 | Ryan Howe Kyle LaPlante |
Illinois | 9th | L, 6-5 |
| 6/03/2018 | Jacson McGowan Ben Nisle |
vs Houston* | 5th | L, 8-4 |
| 4/14/2010 | Drew Madia Kevin Plawecki |
at Illinois State | 2nd | W, 11-3 |
| 4/6/2010 | David Blount Jon Moore |
Valparaiso | 3rd | W, 14-5 |
| 3/17/2010 | Cameron Perkins Drew Madia |
at Eastern Kentucky | 8th | W, 7-3 |
| 5/17/2008 | Ryne White Dan Black |
at Illinois | 5th | W, 11-2 |
| 5/12/2007 | Dan Black Carlos Pupo |
Iowa | 3rd | W, 11-6 |
| 4/16/2006 | Jeff Mojzik Ryne White |
at Indiana | 6th | W, 25-8 |
| 3/25/2006 | Ryne White Neal Gorka |
Chicago State | 2nd | W, 16-6 |
| 5/27/2005 | Mitch Hilligoss Mike Coles |
vs Michigan^ | 9th | W, 9-7 |
| 4/02/2003 | Nick McIntyre Daniel Underwood |
at Ball State | 1st | L, 17-14 |
| 3/23/2003 | Nick McIntyre Daniel Underwood |
Miami (Ohio) | 6th | W, 12-2 |
| 3/23/2003 | Daniel Underwood Simon Klink |
Miami (Ohio) | 4th | W, 12-2 |
| 5/04/2002 | Daniel Underwood Kris Luce |
Minnesota | 8th | L, 10-9 |
| 4/07/2021 | Kris Luce John Gusich |
at Northwestern | 6th | W, 20-11 |
| * – NCAA Regional Game ^ – Big Ten Tournament Game |
||||
| PURDUE'S MOST 9TH INNING RUNS (SINCE 2001) | |||
| Season | Runs in 9th Inning | Games Purdue Batted in 9th Inning | Record Home/Away/Neutral |
| 2012 | 39 | 42 | 45-14 13-3/20-8/12-3 |
| 2021 | 38 | 24 | 10-18 2-7/4-3/4-8 |
| 2009 | 35 | 42 | 25-26 9-8/12-12/4-6 |
| 2011 | 31 | 43 | 37-20 14-4/19-13/4-3 |
| 2018 | 30 | 39 | 38-21 15-5/11-12/12-4 |
| 2017 | 30 | 50 | 29-27 10-10/18-15/1-2 |
| 2013 | 26 | 46 | 17-34 5-14/9-17/3-3 |
| 2010 | 25 | 41 | 33-24 15-6/15-11/3-7 |
| 2001 | 24 | 35 | 32-24 10-6/21-11/1-7 |
| 3 DIFFERENT BOILERMAKERS TO HOMER IN A GAME (BBCOR BAT ERA, 2011-PR) | ||||
| Date | Opponent | Boilermakers | Style of Home Runs | Game Result |
| 4/23/2021 | Illinois | Ben Nisle Ryan Howe Kyle LaPlante |
Solo HR in 9th 2-Run HR in 9th Solo HR in 9th |
L, 6-5 |
| 4/19/2021 | at Illinois | Miles Simington Zac Fascia Jeremy Schork |
2-Run HR in 1st 3-Run HR in 2nd Grand Slam in 9th |
W, 20-6 |
| 4/09/2017 | Indiana | Jacson McGowan Bryce Bonner Nick Dalesandro |
Solo HR in 2nd Solo HR in 8th Grand Slam in 9th |
L, 14-9 |
| 3/05/2017 | at SE Missouri | Jacson McGowan Nick Dalesandro John LeGare |
2-Run HR in 4th Solo HR in 6th 2-Run HR in 7th |
L, 17-7 |
| 3/04/2017 | at SE Missouri | Harry Shipley Nick Dalesandro Alec Olund John LeGare |
Solo HR in 4th 2-Run HR in 8th 2-Run HR in 8th 2-Run HR in 9th |
W, 13-5 |
| 2/18/2017 | at Texas State | Mike Madej Jacson McGowan Logan Posiall |
2-Run HR in 1st Solo HR in 1st Solo HR in 1st |
W, 12-8 |
| 5/17/2012 | at Iowa | Cameron Perkins Cameron Perkins Sean McHugh Ryan Bridges |
Solo HR in 1st 3-Run HR in 2nd Solo HR in 3rd Solo HR in 5th |
W, 11-8 |
| 3/18/2011 | at Tennessee Tech | David Miller Ryan Bridges Tyler Spillner |
3-Run HR in 1st 2-Run HR in 3rd 2-Run HR in 4th |
W, 13-3 |
| MOST PROLIFIC 9TH-INNING RALLIES (SINCE 2001) | ||||
| Date | Opponent | Runs in 9th | Score Entering 9th | Final |
| 5/06/2012 | at UCLA | 10 | Trailed 10-5 | W, 15-11 |
| 3/10/2012 | at Murray State | 8 | Led 14-1 | W, 22-1 |
| 3/20/2011 | at Tennessee Tech | 7 | Tied 4-4 | W, 12-4 |
| 3/27/2021 | Rutgers | 7 | Trailed 4-0 | W, 7-4 |
| 4/17/2002 | at Eastern Illinois | 7 | Trailed 8-5 | W, 12-10 |
| 2/24/2001 | vs Illinois State | 7 | Trailed 11-2 | L, 11-9 |
| 4/19/2021 | at Illinois | 6 | Led 14-6 | W, 20-6 |
| 5/13/2007 | Iowa | 6 | Trailed 10-3 | L, 10-9 |
| 4/23/2021 | Illinois | 5 | Trailed 6-0 | L, 6-5 |
| 5/09/2018 | at Ball State | 5 | Trailed 8-5 | W, 10-8 |
| 2/25/2018 | vs Notre Dame | 5 | Trailed 7-3 | W, 8-7 |
| 5/10/2009 | at Michigan State | 5 | Led 4-3 | W, 9-8 |
| 3/01/2003 | vs Detroit Mercy | 5 | Led 9-3 | W, 14-3 |
| Special Mentions – Games Shorter Than 9 Innings | ||||
| 4/28/2009 | at Ball State | 5 in 8th | Led 9-6 | W, 14-6 (8 – Rain) |
| 4/26/2008 | Minnesota | 4 in 7th | Trailed 6-3 | W, 7-6 (7 – B1G DH) |
| 3/30/2002 | at Penn State | 5 in 7th | Trailed 2-1 | W, 6-3 (7 – B1G DH) |