WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball's unique 2021 campaign was rife with late-inning drama, exciting finishes and baseball oddities, which all added up to produce a number of memorable games.
The Boilermakers won in walk-off fashion in three different stadiums, including in the season opener. They also scored 20 runs in a Big Ten game for the first time since 2006 and emerged victorious in a 31-run slugfest on the first Sunday of May in Columbus.
But there were also a collection of notable pitcher's duels, with Trent Johnson, Calvin Schapira and Cory Brooks all playing starring roles on days in which runs were at a premium while the starters were on the mound.
Most Memorable Games Archive: 2019 / 2018 / 2017 / 2015 / 2014 / 2013 / 2012 / 2011
Purdue scored 41 ninth-inning runs, its most in any frame as well as the program's most in the ninth over the last 20 years. The late-inning fireworks also kept things interesting until the 27th out was recorded. Walk-off RBI came from Zac Fascia, Mason Gavre and Evan Albrecht. Miles Simington joined Albrecht as Boilermakers to deliver a game-tying RBI in the ninth inning, with Purdue going on to win both games.
Looking back at the entire 42-game campaign reveals that some games were certainly more memorable than others. This annual list is a compilation of Purdue's most memorable games of 2021 as selected by the communications staff.
HONORABLE MENTION (CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)
March 19 – at Indiana 2, Purdue 1: The Boilermakers visited Bloomington for the sixth straight year and the series was befitting of the rivalry, with both teams holding the lead at one point in all three games. In some ways, IU won the series by rallying for two in the eighth of Friday's pitcher's duel. Trent Johnson struck out six over six shutout innings and came up one pitch shy of an immaculate inning in the bottom of the first. It marked the seventh time in the last nine meetings in Bloomington (dating back to 2016) that a game was decided by one run or went to extra innings. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights
April 2 – Iowa 4, at Purdue 2 (10 Innings): The only extra-innings affair of the season at Alexander Field featured Calvin Schapira matching eventual Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Trent Wallace in Schapira's first Friday start. Schapira gave up consecutive hits to begin the game, but just one the rest of the way as he worked six quality innings for the second weekend in a row. Ben Nisle homered at Alexander for the first time since April 2018, the first of five consecutive weekends in which he would go yard. All three games of the series were decided in the sixth inning or later. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights / Photo Gallery
April 4 – Iowa 8, at Purdue 5: Trent Johnson gave Purdue anther vintage performance, working seven innings of one-run ball. But the Hawkeyes blew the game open with a seven-run eighth as the Boilermakers lost a Sunday rubber game for the third straight weekend and remained winless in Big Ten rubber games at home since May 2009. Miles Simington registered the first of his four two-double games, connecting for a two-bagger for the fifth straight contest. Cam Thompson also doubled in the loss, finishing the series 5-for-7 with a .778 on-base percentage. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights / Photo Gallery
April 11 – Purdue 8, Penn State 5: The Boilermakers bounced back from one of their poorest showings of the season with a comeback win in East Lansing that ignited a 6-1 stretch. Trent Johnson matched his career high with 10 strikeouts over six innings, giving him 24 Ks in 14 1/3 career innings vs. the Nittany Lions. Nick Alvarado also enjoyed his finest outing as a Boilermaker with three innings of one-run relief to earn the save. Ben Nisle reached base safely five times and scored three times. Tyler Powers' double ignited a three-run seventh inning, scoring the tying run on a single from Nisle. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights
April 18 – Purdue 8, Michigan State 3: The Boilermakers never trailed while beating MSU for the second day in a row and third time in the span of seven days. But things got dicey in the eighth inning when the Spartans pulled within a run and then loaded the bases with two outs. Landon Weins got a big out and went on to work a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save as a Boilermaker. In the meantime, Purdue blew it open again with a four-run rally in the top of the frame. Jake Parr delivered an RBI single in each of his first two at-bats. Two-out extra-base hits from Mason Gavre and Ryan Howe were also timely knocks in a three-run fourth inning. Trent Johnson provided another vintage outing with eight strikeouts over seven-plus innings of two-run ball. The season series with MSU marked the first time since May 2005 (vs. Iowa) that Purdue rallied to win a four-game set after dropping the first game. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights
April 25 – Illinois 1, at Purdue 0: The premier pitcher's duel of the season featured a combined 15 zeros from the starting pitchers. Cory Brooks gave up just three hits over eight innings in his finest outing as a Boilermaker. In a week's time vs. the Illini, the senior conceded only six hits over 13 innings of two-run ball. In the final weekend game at Alexander until May 29, Brooks became just the 17th Boilermaker since 2001 – and only the fifth at Alexander Field – to work eight scoreless innings in an outing. Mike Bolton Jr. was called out on a very close play at the plate trying to score the go-ahead run when Illinois threw to first base to finish off a strikeout in the bottom of the eighth. The game's lone run scored on a squeeze bunt in the following frame. Full Recap / Box Score / Photo Gallery
May 22 – Purdue 17, at Minnesota 4: The Boilermakers pounded out a season-high 19 hits and scored multiple runs in seven of the nine innings in another offensive outburst. Tyler Powers recorded six productive plate appearances as part of a 3-for-3 day in which he walked twice and executed a sac bunt. Mike Bolton Jr. reached base safely four times and became the only Boilermaker in 2021 to score four times in a game. Skyler Hunter recorded hits from both sides of the plate. Cory Brooks made sure his teammates weren't out in the field very long during what turned out to be the warmest game of the season. He retired 10 straight to begin the game and 15 of the first 16 batters he faced. Brooks worked 14 2/3 innings of four-run ball against the Gophers over his final two outings as a Boilermaker. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights
May 27-29 – at Purdue 7, Penn State 4: This three-day affair began Thursday with a commencement ceremony for the Boilermakers' seven graduates. When it finally ended Saturday afternoon, Purdue had rallied for a victory to take the season series with PSU. Trent Johnson got the Alexander sendoff he deserved in the ninth after working five innings of two-run ball as the "starting" pitcher once the game resumed. Skyler Hunter registered his third career four-hit game. Zac Fascia's home run to open the scoring Saturday and Tyler Powers' highlight-reel diving stop behind second base that led to a 6-4-3 double play were also memorable moments on the penultimate day of the season. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights / Photo Gallery
8.) April 3 – at Purdue 10, Iowa 8: There were a combined 10 runs scored in the sixth inning on this day at Alexander. The Boilermakers also managed to win a game in which the opponent scored in each of the final five frames. Purdue answered the visitors' four-run rally with a six-spot of its own in the sixth. Zac Fascia had two hits in the inning. Cam Thompson enjoyed a breakout game with three hits, including a pair of doubles. Fascia and Thompson both delivered two-RBI hits in the big rally. Jackson Smeltz impressed in his first start of the season and the first of his career at Alexander, working three hitless innings before being lifted due to a pitch count in the 50s. Eric Hildebrand and Ricky Castro both escaped bases-loaded jams in relief. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights / Photo Gallery
6.) May 30 – at Purdue 7, Minnesota 6: The Boilermakers' season finale featured the biggest comeback of the season. After honoring 12 seniors between games of the Sunday doubleheader, Purdue found itself trailing 6-1 entering the bottom of the sixth. But the Boilermakers responded with a five-run rally to quickly tie it up. Senior Mason Gavre delivered a two-run double and knocked in the go-ahead run with a two-out base hit the following frame. Mike Bolton Jr. (2-for-3, 2 runs) and Justin Walker Jr. (two-run single, leaping catch at shortstop) both had a big impact off the bench. Ben Nisle made the catch of his career at Alexander, laying out in left field to rob a two-out RBI double. Calvin Schapira closed out the win with three innings of one-hit relief in his lone appearance of the year out of the bullpen. It was the rare instance where the same pitcher threw the first and final pitches of the weekend. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights / Game Photo Gallery / Senior Day Photo Gallery
4.) March 27 – at Purdue 7, Rutgers 4: The Boilermakers scored seven of their 41 ninth-inning runs on this Saturday at Alexander, the final three coming on one historic swing by Mason Gavre. It was the program's most prolific ninth-inning rally at home since at least the beginning of the 2001 campaign. The game was scoreless until the seventh as Calvin Schapira and Ben Wereski both impressed on the mound. With one out and the bases empty, an error by Rutgers' second baseman opened the door for what proved to be the biggest inning of the season. Jake Parr's pinch-hit single, his first collegiate knock, ultimately ignited a rally that featured five hits and seven consecutive hitters giving Purdue a productive plate appearance. With the bases loaded, Miles Simington plated the tying run with a sacrifice fly that would have ended the game if not for the error. Gavre followed with a blast to left field, hitting Purdue's first walk-off home run since April 2006. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights / Photo Gallery
The Boilermakers won in walk-off fashion in three different stadiums, including in the season opener. They also scored 20 runs in a Big Ten game for the first time since 2006 and emerged victorious in a 31-run slugfest on the first Sunday of May in Columbus.
But there were also a collection of notable pitcher's duels, with Trent Johnson, Calvin Schapira and Cory Brooks all playing starring roles on days in which runs were at a premium while the starters were on the mound.
Most Memorable Games Archive: 2019 / 2018 / 2017 / 2015 / 2014 / 2013 / 2012 / 2011
Purdue scored 41 ninth-inning runs, its most in any frame as well as the program's most in the ninth over the last 20 years. The late-inning fireworks also kept things interesting until the 27th out was recorded. Walk-off RBI came from Zac Fascia, Mason Gavre and Evan Albrecht. Miles Simington joined Albrecht as Boilermakers to deliver a game-tying RBI in the ninth inning, with Purdue going on to win both games.
Looking back at the entire 42-game campaign reveals that some games were certainly more memorable than others. This annual list is a compilation of Purdue's most memorable games of 2021 as selected by the communications staff.
HONORABLE MENTION (CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)
March 19 – at Indiana 2, Purdue 1: The Boilermakers visited Bloomington for the sixth straight year and the series was befitting of the rivalry, with both teams holding the lead at one point in all three games. In some ways, IU won the series by rallying for two in the eighth of Friday's pitcher's duel. Trent Johnson struck out six over six shutout innings and came up one pitch shy of an immaculate inning in the bottom of the first. It marked the seventh time in the last nine meetings in Bloomington (dating back to 2016) that a game was decided by one run or went to extra innings. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights
April 2 – Iowa 4, at Purdue 2 (10 Innings): The only extra-innings affair of the season at Alexander Field featured Calvin Schapira matching eventual Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Trent Wallace in Schapira's first Friday start. Schapira gave up consecutive hits to begin the game, but just one the rest of the way as he worked six quality innings for the second weekend in a row. Ben Nisle homered at Alexander for the first time since April 2018, the first of five consecutive weekends in which he would go yard. All three games of the series were decided in the sixth inning or later. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights / Photo Gallery
April 4 – Iowa 8, at Purdue 5: Trent Johnson gave Purdue anther vintage performance, working seven innings of one-run ball. But the Hawkeyes blew the game open with a seven-run eighth as the Boilermakers lost a Sunday rubber game for the third straight weekend and remained winless in Big Ten rubber games at home since May 2009. Miles Simington registered the first of his four two-double games, connecting for a two-bagger for the fifth straight contest. Cam Thompson also doubled in the loss, finishing the series 5-for-7 with a .778 on-base percentage. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights / Photo Gallery
April 11 – Purdue 8, Penn State 5: The Boilermakers bounced back from one of their poorest showings of the season with a comeback win in East Lansing that ignited a 6-1 stretch. Trent Johnson matched his career high with 10 strikeouts over six innings, giving him 24 Ks in 14 1/3 career innings vs. the Nittany Lions. Nick Alvarado also enjoyed his finest outing as a Boilermaker with three innings of one-run relief to earn the save. Ben Nisle reached base safely five times and scored three times. Tyler Powers' double ignited a three-run seventh inning, scoring the tying run on a single from Nisle. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights
April 18 – Purdue 8, Michigan State 3: The Boilermakers never trailed while beating MSU for the second day in a row and third time in the span of seven days. But things got dicey in the eighth inning when the Spartans pulled within a run and then loaded the bases with two outs. Landon Weins got a big out and went on to work a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save as a Boilermaker. In the meantime, Purdue blew it open again with a four-run rally in the top of the frame. Jake Parr delivered an RBI single in each of his first two at-bats. Two-out extra-base hits from Mason Gavre and Ryan Howe were also timely knocks in a three-run fourth inning. Trent Johnson provided another vintage outing with eight strikeouts over seven-plus innings of two-run ball. The season series with MSU marked the first time since May 2005 (vs. Iowa) that Purdue rallied to win a four-game set after dropping the first game. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights
April 25 – Illinois 1, at Purdue 0: The premier pitcher's duel of the season featured a combined 15 zeros from the starting pitchers. Cory Brooks gave up just three hits over eight innings in his finest outing as a Boilermaker. In a week's time vs. the Illini, the senior conceded only six hits over 13 innings of two-run ball. In the final weekend game at Alexander until May 29, Brooks became just the 17th Boilermaker since 2001 – and only the fifth at Alexander Field – to work eight scoreless innings in an outing. Mike Bolton Jr. was called out on a very close play at the plate trying to score the go-ahead run when Illinois threw to first base to finish off a strikeout in the bottom of the eighth. The game's lone run scored on a squeeze bunt in the following frame. Full Recap / Box Score / Photo Gallery
May 20 – Purdue 9, at Minnesota 3: The Boilermakers and Gophers squared off six times in the span of 11 days to end the season, a stretch that featured the same number of matchups as they had played against each other dating back to the start of the 2017 campaign. Jake Parr's grand slam, which doubled as his first collegiate home run, and Ryan Howe's first four-hit game as a Boilermaker highlighted the nine unanswered runs Purdue scored between the second and eighth innings. Calvin Schapira impressed with his finest start of the season in a true road game, earning his first win as a Boilermaker with seven-plus innings of three-run ball. He faced only 15 batters through the end of the fifth after giving up an early solo homer. Full Recap / Box Score / HighlightsSo close at the plate. You decide... 🤔#BoilerUp x #AlwaysAggressive pic.twitter.com/nQPlSxUQdH
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 25, 2021
May 21 – Purdue 12, at Minnesota 5: The Boilermakers' seven-run third inning matched their biggest inning of the season. Miles Simington's first four-hit game at Purdue was highlighted by the team's second grand slam in as many days and fourth of the season. The senior also posted his fourth two-double game of the year, finishing the night with nine total bases. Ben Nisle reached base safely twice during the long inning, igniting the rally with a leadoff single. Ricky Castro backed up Trent Johnson with 3 1/3 innings of one-run relief, picking off a runner between second and third base before retiring the first five batters he faced. Full Recap / Box Score / HighlightsBig Fly from the Big 🌲@JacobParr23 blasts off in the Twin Cities!! #BoilerUp 💣 pic.twitter.com/gREFsHPti2
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 21, 2021
May 22 – Purdue 17, at Minnesota 4: The Boilermakers pounded out a season-high 19 hits and scored multiple runs in seven of the nine innings in another offensive outburst. Tyler Powers recorded six productive plate appearances as part of a 3-for-3 day in which he walked twice and executed a sac bunt. Mike Bolton Jr. reached base safely four times and became the only Boilermaker in 2021 to score four times in a game. Skyler Hunter recorded hits from both sides of the plate. Cory Brooks made sure his teammates weren't out in the field very long during what turned out to be the warmest game of the season. He retired 10 straight to begin the game and 15 of the first 16 batters he faced. Brooks worked 14 2/3 innings of four-run ball against the Gophers over his final two outings as a Boilermaker. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights
May 27-29 – at Purdue 7, Penn State 4: This three-day affair began Thursday with a commencement ceremony for the Boilermakers' seven graduates. When it finally ended Saturday afternoon, Purdue had rallied for a victory to take the season series with PSU. Trent Johnson got the Alexander sendoff he deserved in the ninth after working five innings of two-run ball as the "starting" pitcher once the game resumed. Skyler Hunter registered his third career four-hit game. Zac Fascia's home run to open the scoring Saturday and Tyler Powers' highlight-reel diving stop behind second base that led to a 6-4-3 double play were also memorable moments on the penultimate day of the season. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights / Photo Gallery
THE TOP 10 10.) April 19 – Purdue 20, at Illinois 6: The Boilermakers exploded for their first 20-spot in a Big Ten game since 2006, becoming the first team to sweep one of the Big Ten's three-team pod weekends in the process. By the end of the season, only league champion Nebraska had also accomplished the feat. Purdue raced out to an 8-0 lead behind home runs from Miles Simington and Zac Fascia. Jeremy Schork's grand slam powered a six-run ninth as the Boilermakers put an exclamation point on a 4-0 weekend in which they scored 13 times in the ninth inning. Jett Jackson gave Purdue exactly what it needed on the mound – quick innings. He surrendered just a two-out bunt single over the first three frames as his teammates blew it open early. Full Recap / Box Score / HighlightsHugs & High 5s abound as classmate @CoryBrooks15 comes out to make the pitching change.@TrentJohnson__8 leaves to a standing ovation at Alexander. #BoilerUp #ThankYouTrent 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/sCBoQnncms
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 29, 2021
9.) April 12 – Purdue 8, at Michigan State 2: The Boilermakers' season-long five-game win streak began with a Monday win in Spartan Country. Just as it did seven days later in Champaign, Purdue built a 7-0 lead by scoring in four of the first five innings. Meanwhile, Cory Brooks faced only 18 batters over the first five innings, giving Purdue 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball in his first start of the season. It marked the beginning of an impressive stretch for the senior as he worked 18 1/3 innings of three-run ball over three starts, arguably the best of the season by any Purdue pitcher. Evan Albrecht delivered an early two-run double, Ben Nisle homered and Zac Fascia put together four productive plate appearances. Full Recap / Box Score / HighlightsHome Runs are more fun with friends aboard
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 20, 2021
💣 @Miles___10 2-Run HR
💣 @Fascia15 3-Run HR
💣 @Jeremy_Schork Slam
Last time 3⃣ Boilers homered in same game
➡️ April 2017: McGowan, Bonner, Dalesandro
👀 Since 2001, can't find another game where 3⃣ #Purdue lefties all homered pic.twitter.com/17qbraWvxk
8.) April 3 – at Purdue 10, Iowa 8: There were a combined 10 runs scored in the sixth inning on this day at Alexander. The Boilermakers also managed to win a game in which the opponent scored in each of the final five frames. Purdue answered the visitors' four-run rally with a six-spot of its own in the sixth. Zac Fascia had two hits in the inning. Cam Thompson enjoyed a breakout game with three hits, including a pair of doubles. Fascia and Thompson both delivered two-RBI hits in the big rally. Jackson Smeltz impressed in his first start of the season and the first of his career at Alexander, working three hitless innings before being lifted due to a pitch count in the 50s. Eric Hildebrand and Ricky Castro both escaped bases-loaded jams in relief. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights / Photo Gallery
7.) March 20 – Purdue 8, at Indiana 5: A four-run third inning helped the Boilermakers hang a loss on a reigning national Pitcher of the Week for the second year in a row. Tyler Powers ignited the big inning with the first of his three hits, marking the beginning of a hot streak that would see the infielder reach base in 15 consecutive games. Facing IU's McCade Brown, who had surrendered only one run on three hits over his first 14 innings of the season and struck out 16 the week before vs. Penn State, Purdue chased the right-hander after five innings while building a 5-2 lead. But more importantly, the Boilermakers answered and kept scoring after Indiana made it one-run game. Calvin Schapira, Eric Hildebrand, Landon Weins and Nolan Daniel combined for 15 strikeouts, one shy of the team's season high. Weins went six-up, six-down through the seventh and eighth innings. Daniel struck out the side in the ninth for his first save, finishing off the win with the bases loaded. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights#RallyRecap as #Boilermakers score 6 in the 6th
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 3, 2021
⚡️ Fascia Leadoff Single
⚾️ Parr Safe on E4
🚂 Walker 4-Pitch Walk
🚀 Thompson 2-Run Double
💰 Albrecht RBI Single
⚾️ Hunter Safe on Catcher's Interference
🚂 Powers Sac Fly
💥 Simington HBP
🔥 Fascia 2-Run Single pic.twitter.com/eVXuAO2H0j
6.) May 30 – at Purdue 7, Minnesota 6: The Boilermakers' season finale featured the biggest comeback of the season. After honoring 12 seniors between games of the Sunday doubleheader, Purdue found itself trailing 6-1 entering the bottom of the sixth. But the Boilermakers responded with a five-run rally to quickly tie it up. Senior Mason Gavre delivered a two-run double and knocked in the go-ahead run with a two-out base hit the following frame. Mike Bolton Jr. (2-for-3, 2 runs) and Justin Walker Jr. (two-run single, leaping catch at shortstop) both had a big impact off the bench. Ben Nisle made the catch of his career at Alexander, laying out in left field to rob a two-out RBI double. Calvin Schapira closed out the win with three innings of one-hit relief in his lone appearance of the year out of the bullpen. It was the rare instance where the same pitcher threw the first and final pitches of the weekend. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights / Game Photo Gallery / Senior Day Photo Gallery
5.) April 17 – Purdue 2, Michigan State 1 (11 Innings): Evan Albrecht was the hero of the night despite going hitless, driving in the game-tying and game-winning runs in the Boilermakers' third walk-off win of the season. Calvin Schapira and Mason Erla dueled in one of top pitching showcases of the season. Schapira retired 17 of 18 at one point and worked into the ninth, but MSU got on the board during an inning in which all four Spartans to bat in the frame put the first pitch in play – leadoff double, sac bunt, sac fly. Erla was at 115 pitches when he was lifted after eight and the Boilermakers were able to take advantage. Zac Fascia's leadoff single led to a run thanks to Mason Gavre, Mike Bolton Jr. and Albrecht all putting the ball in play. Michigan State intentionally walked Bolton to load the bases and face Albrecht again in the 11th. The shortstop delivered a fly ball to right field to win it. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights✈️ Ben Takes Flight at Alexander 🦸♂️
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 30, 2021
Strong candidate for best catch of the season by a #Boilermaker. Definitely a #BTNstandout & #SCTop10 worthy. #BoilerUp @bnisle10
Robbed an RBI double to keep #Purdue in front 1-0. pic.twitter.com/vsxEtALkrM
4.) March 27 – at Purdue 7, Rutgers 4: The Boilermakers scored seven of their 41 ninth-inning runs on this Saturday at Alexander, the final three coming on one historic swing by Mason Gavre. It was the program's most prolific ninth-inning rally at home since at least the beginning of the 2001 campaign. The game was scoreless until the seventh as Calvin Schapira and Ben Wereski both impressed on the mound. With one out and the bases empty, an error by Rutgers' second baseman opened the door for what proved to be the biggest inning of the season. Jake Parr's pinch-hit single, his first collegiate knock, ultimately ignited a rally that featured five hits and seven consecutive hitters giving Purdue a productive plate appearance. With the bases loaded, Miles Simington plated the tying run with a sacrifice fly that would have ended the game if not for the error. Gavre followed with a blast to left field, hitting Purdue's first walk-off home run since April 2006. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights / Photo Gallery
3.) April 18 – Purdue 6, at Illinois 4: The Boilermakers rode more ninth-inning magic to victory, this time responding with two in the ninth just a few minutes after a two-out, two-run homer brought the home side even. Purdue never trailed in the game, but watched the Fighting Illini pull even on home runs in the fifth and eighth innings. Central Illinois native Miles Simington delivered the big hit in the ninth, his second double of the day driving in a pair with the bases loaded. Avery Cook worked a 1-2-3 bottom half of the frame to give Purdue its first victory vs. Illinois in Champaign since the 2014 Big Ten opener. Cory Brooks, Nolan Daniel and Cook teamed up to limit the Illini to four hits, matching a season low for the Boilermakers. Ben Nisle homered in the first inning, going deep for the third weekend in a row. Full Recap / Box Score / Highlights7️⃣-spot in the 9th.
— Purdue Athletics (@PurdueSports) March 27, 2021
💥💥💥 Walkoff 3-run blast.
❕❕❕ Big-time comeback by @PurdueBaseball. pic.twitter.com/RqqjafcDbw
2.) March 5 – Purdue 6, Nebraska 5: The season opened with a walk-off celebration as the Boilermakers scored in each of the final three innings to overcome deficits of 1-0, 4-3 and 5-4 in a back-and-forth affair in Texas. Zac Fascia delivered the game-winning RBI with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to left field. Ben Nisle scored half of Purdue's six runs, including the final tally. His triple in the seventh inning also helped the Boilermakers pull even at 4-4. Trent Johnson, Cory Brooks and Jackson Smeltz combined for 15 strikeouts, helping Purdue rack up a program-record 46 Ks over 32 innings in the four-game series. Smeltz struck out the side in the top of the ninth. Skyler Hunter started in center field for the fifth year in a row and Johnson became just the second Boilermaker this century to pitch on Opening Day four years in a row. The Boilermakers won a neutral-site game in walk-off fashion for the sixth time since 2015. Full Recap / Box Score / HighlightsThird 2-Double game of the season for @Miles___10. #BoilerUp ⚒️
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) April 18, 2021
More 9th Inning Runs
🔥 6 Today, 27 this Season#BasesLoaded Alert for Justin Walker Jr. pic.twitter.com/1v43YtXr15
1.) May 2 – Purdue 16, at Ohio State 15: It was a game of scoring surges that added up to a combined 31 runs on a warm and windy Sunday in Columbus. The Boilermakers managed to win a game in which they gave up 20 hits and four home runs; the 15 runs were the most allowed in a victory in 30 years. They did it in part by hitting two sets of back-to-back home runs, marking only the second time this century Purdue accomplished that feat in a game. The scoring surges broke down like this – Ohio State scored the first five runs, Purdue came back with eight consecutive tallies, OSU surged ahead 12-8 with seven unanswered, Purdue responded with eight straight runs again, and OSU tallied the game's final three runs. But Jackson Smeltz was able strand the tying run at third base in the bottom of the ninth while retiring the Buckeyes' No. 2 and 3 hitters. Ben Nisle was part of both sets of back-to-back homers, going deep along with Miles Simington in third and Zac Fascia in the sixth. Skyler Hunter registered his 250th career hit as part of his second career four-hit effort. Full Recap / Box Score / HighlightsThe game-winning play & the celebration!!#Boilermakers rally multiple times to win on Opening Day in Texas. #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/K0PrRBHRpx
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) March 6, 2021
Been a lot of wild finishes & unique happenings this season. Sunday was yet another memorable chapter. Most runs #Purdue had surrendered in a win since 1991. #BoilerUp
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) May 3, 2021
📰 Recap: https://t.co/QQlIOR2zxk
📊 Box: https://t.co/e3hmfkCK5x
🔢 Series Stats: https://t.co/hbq8DcAS5N pic.twitter.com/IbGeTvmd1k