CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. ā Redshirting along with his fellow freshman classmates has not slowed down Purdue baseball's Brady Chrisman, whose three-homer, 10-RBI outburst Saturday highlighted a red-hot start to the summer ball season for the undefeated Cape Catfish.
Chrisman entered the June 10 game in O'Fallon, Missouri, 15-for-32 with six extra-base hits and 15 RBI over his first eight games of the summer, delivering a game-tying, two-run double as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of a comeback win June 8 in the first game of the summer he did not start. That showing alone during an eight-game hit streak would qualify as a great start to the wood bat season.
But the lefthanded hitting outfielder went supernova in Suburban St. Louis on Saturday, connecting for home runs in the third, fifth and ninth innings as part of a 4-for-4, 10-RBI night in which he also drove in runs with an infield single and bases-loaded hit by pitch. He hit his second grand slam of the week. Chrisman has a .514/.578/1.027 slash line with four doubles, five homers and 25 RBI through 10 games.
"It's ridiculous how much I grew while I was at Purdue," Chrisman said in an interview with Tony Capobianco of the Southeast Missourian newspaper. "The facilities there, everything that we've got there, including our strength coach Ty Webb, they've done nothing but helped me advance my game and advanced my level of play. I went in at 187lbs and now I weigh about 211lbs. The food options there, everything we have, it's just unreal. That's allowed me to become more physical, hit the ball harder, farther, and I'd like to say that improved as a player as well just even the little things in practice.
"It's just taking what the game gives you. I thoroughly believe that God has His blessings and just about everything we do. And while it may have been quite a bit of a struggle to not play or not get the opportunity to go into the games during school ball season, I think that was all part of the process. I think that's ultimately what led me here, what gave me the ability and the drive to want to play every night."
The Thrillville Thrillbillies (of Marion, Illinois) had little interest in pitching to Chrisman on Sunday. He walked three times and scored a run as Cape won big again 11-1. The Catfish have outscored the opposition 121-35 over the first 10 games.
Chrisman was a first-team all-state honoree and IHSBCA North/South All-Star as a senior at Zionsville High School in 2022. Last summer, he was selected an all-star again while playing against college players at the College Summer League at Grand Park.
STEPHEN MAKES OPENING DAY START IN CAPE COD LEAGUE
ā¢ The Cape Cod League began its season Saturday (June 10) and Khal Stephen was an Opening Day starter for the second time this year. After starting the Boilermakers' season and home openers as a sophomore this season, Stephen took the ball for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox and impressed with seven strikeouts vs. 20 batters faced over four innings. The All-Big Ten performer struck out five of the final six batters he faced. He's the first Boilermaker to play in the prospect-rich Cape Cod League since the summer of 2019.
TAYLOR AT THE CENTER OF WALK-OFF EXCITEMENT
ā¢Ā Keenan Taylor is no stranger to summer ball success having been an all-star for the Danville Dans of the Prospect League the last two years. This summer he's quickly become a productive starter for the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League. Saturday, he put the ball in play in the ninth inning that led to a walk-off win vs. the Lakeshore Chinooks. He's been a starter at third base and reached base safely 21 times over his first 12 games for Madison, scoring 12 runs.
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Chrisman entered the June 10 game in O'Fallon, Missouri, 15-for-32 with six extra-base hits and 15 RBI over his first eight games of the summer, delivering a game-tying, two-run double as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of a comeback win June 8 in the first game of the summer he did not start. That showing alone during an eight-game hit streak would qualify as a great start to the wood bat season.
But the lefthanded hitting outfielder went supernova in Suburban St. Louis on Saturday, connecting for home runs in the third, fifth and ninth innings as part of a 4-for-4, 10-RBI night in which he also drove in runs with an infield single and bases-loaded hit by pitch. He hit his second grand slam of the week. Chrisman has a .514/.578/1.027 slash line with four doubles, five homers and 25 RBI through 10 games.
"It's ridiculous how much I grew while I was at Purdue," Chrisman said in an interview with Tony Capobianco of the Southeast Missourian newspaper. "The facilities there, everything that we've got there, including our strength coach Ty Webb, they've done nothing but helped me advance my game and advanced my level of play. I went in at 187lbs and now I weigh about 211lbs. The food options there, everything we have, it's just unreal. That's allowed me to become more physical, hit the ball harder, farther, and I'd like to say that improved as a player as well just even the little things in practice.
"It's just taking what the game gives you. I thoroughly believe that God has His blessings and just about everything we do. And while it may have been quite a bit of a struggle to not play or not get the opportunity to go into the games during school ball season, I think that was all part of the process. I think that's ultimately what led me here, what gave me the ability and the drive to want to play every night."
The Cape Catfish are off to a franchise-record 10-0 start as the only undefeated team remaining in the 17-team Prospect League, which is the same league the Lafayette Aviators call home. The two teams are in opposite conferences and aren't scheduled to play each other in the regular season.Brody Chrisman went off last night š£
ā Prospect League (@ProspectLeague) June 11, 2023
Chrisman went 4-4, was on base 6 times, and hit 3 home runs including a grand slam in the @CapeCatfish 17-6 win over O'Fallon on Saturday!@PurdueBaseball | #ProspectLeague pic.twitter.com/bWD47Jphmq
The Thrillville Thrillbillies (of Marion, Illinois) had little interest in pitching to Chrisman on Sunday. He walked three times and scored a run as Cape won big again 11-1. The Catfish have outscored the opposition 121-35 over the first 10 games.
Chrisman was a first-team all-state honoree and IHSBCA North/South All-Star as a senior at Zionsville High School in 2022. Last summer, he was selected an all-star again while playing against college players at the College Summer League at Grand Park.
STEPHEN MAKES OPENING DAY START IN CAPE COD LEAGUE
ā¢ The Cape Cod League began its season Saturday (June 10) and Khal Stephen was an Opening Day starter for the second time this year. After starting the Boilermakers' season and home openers as a sophomore this season, Stephen took the ball for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox and impressed with seven strikeouts vs. 20 batters faced over four innings. The All-Big Ten performer struck out five of the final six batters he faced. He's the first Boilermaker to play in the prospect-rich Cape Cod League since the summer of 2019.
TAYLOR AT THE CENTER OF WALK-OFF EXCITEMENT
ā¢Ā Keenan Taylor is no stranger to summer ball success having been an all-star for the Danville Dans of the Prospect League the last two years. This summer he's quickly become a productive starter for the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League. Saturday, he put the ball in play in the ninth inning that led to a walk-off win vs. the Lakeshore Chinooks. He's been a starter at third base and reached base safely 21 times over his first 12 games for Madison, scoring 12 runs.
š @keenan_005 celebrating a @NWLbaseball walk-off winner in Madison. #BoilerUp #SummerBall https://t.co/lp18xZkhT5
ā Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) June 11, 2023
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