WEEKEND SERIES INFORMATION
Ohio State (8-11) at No. 17 Purdue (17-1)
Friday to Sunday, March 24 to 26 / Watch B1G+
Series Opener: Friday, March 24 at 4 p.m. ET
Middle Game: Saturday, March 25 at 1 p.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday, March 26 at 1 p.m. ET
Alexander Field / West Lafayette, Indiana
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Friday: Little League Day ($1 Tickets) & Pennant Giveaway (First 300 Fans)
Saturday: Heroes Day – $1 GA Tickets for all Service Personnel
Sunday: Family 4-Pack Ticket Deal & Kids Run the Bases Postgame
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Jackson Smeltz (R-Jr, LHP) vs. OSU's Isaiah Coupet (So, LHP)
Saturday: TBA for Purdue vs. OSU's Nate Haberthier (So, RHP)
Sunday: Troy Wansing (Fr, LHP) vs. OSU's Wyatt Loncar (Jr, RHP)
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Ohio State leads 154-67-1
All-Time in West Lafayette: Ohio State leads 67-38-1
2021: Ohio State won 3 of 4 – 2 of 3 in Columbus & Midweek Game in West Lafayette
Last Series in West Lafayette: Ohio State swept a 3-game set (May 2019)
Purdue's Last Series Win vs. OSU: Purdue won 2 of 3 (April 2017 in Columbus)
Purdue's Last Win vs. OSU in West Lafayette: Purdue 4, OSU 3 – 13 Innings (April 2014)
Purdue's Last Series Win vs. OSU in West Lafayette: Purdue swept a 4-game set (May 1987)
First Meeting: Purdue 4, OSU 3 (May 1913 in West Lafayette)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – No. 17 Purdue baseball opens Big Ten Conference play at home for the first time since 2016, hosting Ohio State for the sixth year since Alexander Field opened in 2013.
First pitch at Alexander is set for 4 p.m. Friday before 1 p.m. matinee starts Saturday and Sunday.
The Boilermakers open league play with the best record in the Big Ten, holding that distinction for the first time since 2012 (14-3). Their 17-1 mark is also the best entering conference play in the program's modern era. The 1991 and 1993 teams lost only two games before their Big Ten openers.
Purdue started conference play at home in three of the first four years of the Alexander Field era (2013-present). But the five-year gap since last opening league play at home represents the longest in team history. Even in the abbreviated 2020 season, which was shut down the week before Big Ten play was scheduled to begin, the Boilermakers were slated to open on the road.
In the last decade, Purdue also opened Big Ten play against Ohio State in 2012 and 2013. That helped make the Buckeyes the opponent in the first-ever game (and series) at Alexander Field. Their 13 games in West Lafayette since 2013 are second to only Iowa (15), which played at Alexander the first three years of the ballpark and again in 2019 and 2021.
From 2007 to 2017, the road team won eight consecutive Purdue-Ohio State series. But the Buckeyes reversed that trend in recent years by taking two of three in Columbus in 2018 and 2021. The Boilermakers look to return the favor this season and post their first series win at home against OSU since May 1988. They also want to extend their six-game home win streak.
Ohio State had traditionally played a weekend series at home prior to opening conference play. But not this season and the Buckeyes two home games entering the weekend are the second fewest in the league behind only Rutgers. Eight of their 11 losses over the first five weekends have come in true road games, including three each at Texas State and UNC Wilmington. Those two teams are a combined 30-12 this season.
OPENING WEEKEND OF BIG TEN PLAY (March 25-27)
• Ohio State at Purdue
• Illinois at Michigan State
• Rutgers at Penn State
• Michigan at Nebraska
Non-Conference
• Maryland at Dallas Baptist
• Evansville at Indiana
• Central Michigan at Iowa
• Western Illinois at Minnesota (Indoors)
• Northwestern vs Butler & Southern Illinois in Carbondale
SEASONS WITH MULTIPLE PITCHERS TO REGISTER 10-STRIKEOUT GAMES (Since 2001)
• 2022 – Jackson Smeltz (3) & Wyatt Wendell (1)
• 2021 – Jett Jackson (1) & Trent Johnson (1)
• 2010 – Matt Bischoff (4) & Matt Morgan (1)
• 2009 – Matt Bischoff (2) & Matt Jansen (1)
• 2006 – Dan Sattler (2) & Jay Buente (2)
• 2001 – Ben Quick (1) & David Gassner (1)
ACTIVE STREAKS
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 19-game on-base
• Cam Thompson – 11-game RBI, 18-game on-base
• CJ Valdez – 15-game on-base, 4-game RBI
• Evan Albrecht – 10-game on-base, scored a run in 5 straight games
• Curtis Washington Jr. – 6-game on-base
• Wyatt Wendell – 14 consecutive innings without a walk
• Landon Weins – 10 consecutive innings without a walk
LEADING THE BIG TEN
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 3 Triples, 12 Stolen Bases
• Curtis Washington Jr. – 23 Runs Scored, 12 Stolen Bases
• Cam Thompson – 28 RBI, 10 Hit by Pitch
• Jackson Smeltz – 44 Strikeouts
• Troy Wansing – 1.33 ERA
• Troy Viola – 3 Sac Flies
• Purdue – Stolen Bases (54), ERA (2.69), Hit by Pitch (47), Sac Flies (12)
Last season's four-game season series vs. Ohio State featured a traditional three-game weekend set in Columbus plus a midweek game in West Lafayette that was a late addition to the schedule after both teams had a series canceled due to COVID-19 pauses for their opponents. The Sunday series finale in Columbus, which Purdue won 16-15, turned out to be the highest-scoring affair (31 combined runs) of the BBCOR bat era (2011-present) for the Boilermakers. On a hitter-friendly day at Bill Davis Stadium, the teamed combined for eight home runs. Purdue hit two sets of back-to-back jacks.
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 closed out the victory with a strikeout, stranding the potential tying run at third base.
Smeltz is slated to take the ball for the opening game of Purdue's fourth straight weekend. Lefthanders Patrick J. Smith (2019) and Jordan Minch (2014) started Big Ten openers in recent years, but both were on the road. The Boilermakers have not started a lefty in a Big Ten opener at home since Russ Morgan in 1999.
Ohio State (8-11) at No. 17 Purdue (17-1)
Friday to Sunday, March 24 to 26 / Watch B1G+
Series Opener: Friday, March 24 at 4 p.m. ET
Middle Game: Saturday, March 25 at 1 p.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday, March 26 at 1 p.m. ET
Alexander Field / West Lafayette, Indiana
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Friday: Little League Day ($1 Tickets) & Pennant Giveaway (First 300 Fans)
Saturday: Heroes Day – $1 GA Tickets for all Service Personnel
Sunday: Family 4-Pack Ticket Deal & Kids Run the Bases Postgame
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Jackson Smeltz (R-Jr, LHP) vs. OSU's Isaiah Coupet (So, LHP)
Saturday: TBA for Purdue vs. OSU's Nate Haberthier (So, RHP)
Sunday: Troy Wansing (Fr, LHP) vs. OSU's Wyatt Loncar (Jr, RHP)
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Ohio State leads 154-67-1
All-Time in West Lafayette: Ohio State leads 67-38-1
2021: Ohio State won 3 of 4 – 2 of 3 in Columbus & Midweek Game in West Lafayette
Last Series in West Lafayette: Ohio State swept a 3-game set (May 2019)
Purdue's Last Series Win vs. OSU: Purdue won 2 of 3 (April 2017 in Columbus)
Purdue's Last Win vs. OSU in West Lafayette: Purdue 4, OSU 3 – 13 Innings (April 2014)
Purdue's Last Series Win vs. OSU in West Lafayette: Purdue swept a 4-game set (May 1987)
First Meeting: Purdue 4, OSU 3 (May 1913 in West Lafayette)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – No. 17 Purdue baseball opens Big Ten Conference play at home for the first time since 2016, hosting Ohio State for the sixth year since Alexander Field opened in 2013.
First pitch at Alexander is set for 4 p.m. Friday before 1 p.m. matinee starts Saturday and Sunday.
The Boilermakers open league play with the best record in the Big Ten, holding that distinction for the first time since 2012 (14-3). Their 17-1 mark is also the best entering conference play in the program's modern era. The 1991 and 1993 teams lost only two games before their Big Ten openers.
Purdue started conference play at home in three of the first four years of the Alexander Field era (2013-present). But the five-year gap since last opening league play at home represents the longest in team history. Even in the abbreviated 2020 season, which was shut down the week before Big Ten play was scheduled to begin, the Boilermakers were slated to open on the road.
| OPENED BIG TEN PLAY AT HOME (SINCE 1991) | |||
| Year | Opponent | Series Result | Big Ten Record, Finish |
| 2016 | Nebraska | Lost All 3 | 2-22, 13th |
| 2015 | Rutgers | Lost 2 of 3 | 6-17, 13th |
| 2013 | Ohio State | Lost All 3 | 6-18, 10th |
| 2010 | Minnesota | Lost 2 of 3 | 12-12, T-5th |
| 2008 | Northwestern | Won 3 of 4 | 21-10, 2nd |
| 2007 | Illinois | 4-Game Split | 11-20, 8th |
| 2005 | Penn State | 4-Game Split | 17-11, 2nd |
| 2003 | Penn State | Lost 3 of 4 | 13-18, 7th |
| 2001 | Minnesota | Lost 2 of 3 | 19-7, 2nd |
| 2000 | Michigan State | Won 3 of 4 | 17-11, T-3rd |
| 1999 | Minnesota | Lost 3 of 4 | 10-17, T-7th |
| 1997 | Michigan | 4-Game Split | 17-11, T-3rd |
| 1996 | Michigan | Lost All 4 | 8-19, 10th |
| 1994 | Penn State | Won 3 of 4 | 8-20, 10th |
| 1993 | Michigan State | Lost 3 of 4 | 16-12, 3rd |
| 1992 | Michigan | Lost 3 of 4 | 13-15, 6th |
| 1991 | Michigan State | Won 3 of 4 | 14-14, 6th |
In the last decade, Purdue also opened Big Ten play against Ohio State in 2012 and 2013. That helped make the Buckeyes the opponent in the first-ever game (and series) at Alexander Field. Their 13 games in West Lafayette since 2013 are second to only Iowa (15), which played at Alexander the first three years of the ballpark and again in 2019 and 2021.
From 2007 to 2017, the road team won eight consecutive Purdue-Ohio State series. But the Buckeyes reversed that trend in recent years by taking two of three in Columbus in 2018 and 2021. The Boilermakers look to return the favor this season and post their first series win at home against OSU since May 1988. They also want to extend their six-game home win streak.
Ohio State had traditionally played a weekend series at home prior to opening conference play. But not this season and the Buckeyes two home games entering the weekend are the second fewest in the league behind only Rutgers. Eight of their 11 losses over the first five weekends have come in true road games, including three each at Texas State and UNC Wilmington. Those two teams are a combined 30-12 this season.
| FREQUENT VISITORS TO ALEXANDER FIELD (SINCE 2013) | |||
| Team | Games | Opponent Record | Last Visit |
| Iowa | 15 | 12-3 | April 2021 |
| Ohio State | 13 | 12-1 | May 2021 |
| Penn State | 12* | 3-9 | May 2021 |
| Minnesota | 11* | 9-2 | May 2021 |
| Northwestern | 9 | 4-5 | May 2018 |
| Rutgers | 9 | 4-5 | March 2021 |
| Michigan | 9 | 5-4 | May 2018 |
| *Minnesota & Penn State have played 4 games against each other at Alexander *Minnesota swept a 3-game set in April 2018, PSU won single game in May 2021 |
|||
OPENING WEEKEND OF BIG TEN PLAY (March 25-27)
• Ohio State at Purdue
• Illinois at Michigan State
• Rutgers at Penn State
• Michigan at Nebraska
Non-Conference
• Maryland at Dallas Baptist
• Evansville at Indiana
• Central Michigan at Iowa
• Western Illinois at Minnesota (Indoors)
• Northwestern vs Butler & Southern Illinois in Carbondale
SEASONS WITH MULTIPLE PITCHERS TO REGISTER 10-STRIKEOUT GAMES (Since 2001)
• 2022 – Jackson Smeltz (3) & Wyatt Wendell (1)
• 2021 – Jett Jackson (1) & Trent Johnson (1)
• 2010 – Matt Bischoff (4) & Matt Morgan (1)
• 2009 – Matt Bischoff (2) & Matt Jansen (1)
• 2006 – Dan Sattler (2) & Jay Buente (2)
• 2001 – Ben Quick (1) & David Gassner (1)
ACTIVE STREAKS
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 19-game on-base
• Cam Thompson – 11-game RBI, 18-game on-base
• CJ Valdez – 15-game on-base, 4-game RBI
• Evan Albrecht – 10-game on-base, scored a run in 5 straight games
• Curtis Washington Jr. – 6-game on-base
• Wyatt Wendell – 14 consecutive innings without a walk
• Landon Weins – 10 consecutive innings without a walk
LEADING THE BIG TEN
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 3 Triples, 12 Stolen Bases
• Curtis Washington Jr. – 23 Runs Scored, 12 Stolen Bases
• Cam Thompson – 28 RBI, 10 Hit by Pitch
• Jackson Smeltz – 44 Strikeouts
• Troy Wansing – 1.33 ERA
• Troy Viola – 3 Sac Flies
• Purdue – Stolen Bases (54), ERA (2.69), Hit by Pitch (47), Sac Flies (12)
| PURDUE'S LONGEST RBI STREAKS (SINCE 2001) | ||||
| Player | Game Streak | Year | Dates | Total RBI |
| Cam Thompson | 11 | 2022 | Feb. 26-Present | 18 |
| Ben Nisle | 7 | 2021 | May 15-27 | 9 |
| Kyle Wood | 7 | 2016 | March 12-25 | 14 |
| John Hunter | 7 | 2006 | March 25-April 1 | 9 |
| Evan Albrecht | 6 | 2020 | Feb. 14-23 | 10 |
| Milo Beam | 6 | 2019 | April 21-28 | 8 |
| Skyler Hunter | 6 | 2018 | April 29-May 9 | 13 |
| Jacson McGowan | 6 | 2018 | March 23-April 6 | 12 |
| Nick Dalesandro | 6 | 2017 | March 3-12 | 10 |
| Cameron Perkins | 6 | 2012 | April 1-13 | 10 |
| Kevin Plawecki | 6 | 2012 | Feb. 26-March 10 | 15 |
| Barrett Serrato | 6 | 2012 | April 15-22 | 6 |
| Drew Madia | 6 | 2010 | April 9-16 | 11 |
| Dan Black | 6 | 2008 | March 22-28 | 9 |
| Jon Moore | 6 | 2008 | April 25-May 4 | 9 |
| Nick Overmyer | 6 | 2008 | March 22-28 | 9 |
| Ryne White | 6 | 2008 | March 22-29 | 11 |
| Nick McIntyre | 6 | 2003 | April 12-18 | 9 |
| Nick McIntyre | 6 | 2001 | Mar 17- 27 | 11 |
Last season's four-game season series vs. Ohio State featured a traditional three-game weekend set in Columbus plus a midweek game in West Lafayette that was a late addition to the schedule after both teams had a series canceled due to COVID-19 pauses for their opponents. The Sunday series finale in Columbus, which Purdue won 16-15, turned out to be the highest-scoring affair (31 combined runs) of the BBCOR bat era (2011-present) for the Boilermakers. On a hitter-friendly day at Bill Davis Stadium, the teamed combined for eight home runs. Purdue hit two sets of back-to-back jacks.
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 closed out the victory with a strikeout, stranding the potential tying run at third base.
Smeltz is slated to take the ball for the opening game of Purdue's fourth straight weekend. Lefthanders Patrick J. Smith (2019) and Jordan Minch (2014) started Big Ten openers in recent years, but both were on the road. The Boilermakers have not started a lefty in a Big Ten opener at home since Russ Morgan in 1999.
| MOST COMBINED RUNS IN A GAME (SINCE 1991) | |||
| Combined Runs | Opponent | Final Score | Season |
| 52 | vs Boston University | W, 36-16 | 1991 |
| 41 | at Purdue Fort Wayne | L, 22-19 | 2009 |
| 36 | at Missouri | L, 22-14 | 2010 |
| 35 | vs Princeton | L, 21-14 | 1999 |
| 34 | at Georgia Tech | L, 16-18 | 2004 |
| 34 | at Coastal Carolina | L, 21-13 | 2002 |
| 33 | at Indiana | W, 25-8 | 2006 |
| 33 | Evansville | L, 20-13 | 2001 |
| 32 | vs West Virginia | L, 18-14 | 2010 |
| 32 | Western Illinois | W, 22-10 | 2008 |
| 32 | IUPUI | W, 27-5 | 2000 |
| 32 | vs Ferris State | W, 22-10 | 1992 |
| 31 | at Ohio State | W, 16-15 | 2021 |
| 31 | at Ball State | L, 17-14 | 2003 |
| 31 | at Northwestern | W, 20-11 | 2001 |
| 30 | Purdue Fort Wayne | W, 27-3 | 2018 |
| 30 | at Ball State | L, 23-7 | 1999 |
| MOST RUNS ALLOWED IN A WIN (SINCE 1991) | |||
| Runs Allowed | Opponent | Final Score | Season |
| 16 | vs Boston University | 36-16 | 1991 |
| 15 | at Ohio State | 16-15 | 2021 |
| 12 | at Cincinnati | 16-12 | 2001 |
| 12 | at Saint Joseph's (Ind.) | 17-12 | 1999 |
| 11 | Indiana | 13-11 | 1997 |
| 11 | at Illinois | 18-11 | 1997 |
| BEST STARTS AT HOME (SINCE 1975) | |||||
| Year | Home Opener | Undefeated Home Start | 1st Home Loss | 2nd Home Loss | Final Home Record |
| 2022 | March 10 | 5-0 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2012 | March 27 | 4-0 | April 1 | April 29 | 13-3 |
| 2011 | March 22 | NA | March 22 | April 10 | 14-4 |
| 2008 | March 22 | 6-0 | March 29 | April 13 | 18-5 |
| 2002 | March 20 | 7-0 | April 14 | April 20 | 10-11 |
| 2000 | March 22 | 4-0 | March 26 | April 15 | 15-6 |
| 1999 | March 24 | 5-0 | April 3 | April 3 | 14-5 |
| 1998 | March 18 | 8-0 | April 11 | April 11 | 9-11 |
| 1993 | March 18 | 7-0 | March 27 | March 28 | 14-9 |
| 1992 | March 16 | 1-0 | March 16 | March 28 | 17-11 |
| 1991 | March 16 | NA | March 16 | March 31 | 17-7 |
| 1987 | April 1 | 14-0-1 | April 25 | April 30 | 19-3-1 |
| Purdue's record for home wins is 22 by the 1982 team (22-6) | |||||
| BEST 20-GAME STARTS IN PROGRAM HISTORY (SINCE 1975) | |||||
| Year | After 10 Games | After 15 Games | After 20 Games | Entering B1G | Final Record |
| 2022 | 10-0 | 15-0 | Currently 17-1 | 17-1 | TBD |
| 2012 | 9-1 | 14-1 | 16-4 | 14-3 | 45-14 |
| 2011 | 8-2 | 11-4 | 13-7 | 16-8 | 37-20 |
| 2000 | 7-3 | 9-6 | 13-7 | 10-6 | 35-23 |
| 1993 | 8-2 | 13-2 | 16-4 | 15-2 | 36-22 |
| 1991 | 7-3 | 12-3 | 17-3 | 16-3 | 35-21 |
| 1987 | 5-5 | 8-7 | 12-7-1 | 17-9-1 | 36-24-1 |
| 1985 | 5-5 | 10-5 | 13-7 | 17-12 | 33-25 |
| WALK-OFF WINS AT ALEXANDER FIELD (SINCE 2013) | ||||
| Date | Opponent | Score (Innings) | GW RBI | GW Run |
| 3/20/2022 | Illinois State | 7-6 (10) | Evan Albrecht | Troy Viola |
| 3/27/2021 | Rutgers | 7-4 (9) | Mason Gavre | Ben Nisle |
| 3/31/2022 | Penn State | 2-1 (10) | Cole McKenzie | Seth Gergely |
| 5/06/2018 | Northwestern | 2-1 (12) | Alec Olund | Hayden Grant |
| 4/29/2018 | Saint Louis | 4-3 (9) | Harry Shipley | Milo Beam |
| 4/23/2018 | Illinois | 2-1 (9) | NA (E5) | Milo Beam |
| 5/20/2017 | Cal State Northridge | 1-0 (10) | Nick Dalesandro | Kyle Johnson |
| 4/25/2014 | Ohio State | 4-3 (13) | Kyle Wood | Cody Strong |
| 4/15/2014 | Butler | 5-4 (10) | Brandon Krieg | Jeff Evak |