WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Luke Gaffney connected for a two-run homer and Ty Gill delivered a game-tying RBI triple, but Iowa broke the stalemate with a run in the seventh inning and held on to defeat Purdue Baseball 4-3 Saturday at Alexander Field.
The Boilermakers (16-8, 1-1 Big Ten) left the bases loaded in the eighth inning and Mike Bolton Jr. was robbed of at least a triple when center fielder Kyle Huckstorf made a stellar catch with his back to home plate to open the bottom of the ninth.
The Hawkeyes (12-10, 1-1 Big Ten) out hit the home team 14-5 but Purdue still had an opportunity to take the lead in the eighth inning. Logan Sutter, Couper Cornblum and Jo Stevens all reached base with one out to load the bases. Iowa went to the bullpen for righthander Jack Young and the sidearmer retired a pair of lefthanded hitters – Gill and pinch hitter Aaron Dolney – to keep his team in front.
Luke Wagner, Aaron Suval and Jackson Dannelley teamed up to post four consecutive zeros for the Boilermakers after the Hawkeyes scored three of their four runs over the first two frames. Huckstorf scored the go-ahead tally on an RBI single from Davis Cop after moving into third base with no outs via a pair of wild pitches.
Dannelley stranded a pair of inherited runners in the sixth inning, running his streak of inherited runners left on base to 12 dating back to the 2023 season finale. But Wagner and Dannelley both saw their consecutive scoreless innings streak come to an end. Wagner gave up an earned run for the first time since the first inning of the Feb. 25 win vs. George Mason, snapping his streak at 22 straight innings. Dannelley gave up an earned run at Alexander Field for the first time since April 30, 2023, snapping a streak at 13 consecutive innings.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Camden Gasser – 22-game on-base streak (every game he's played in 2024)
• Couper Cornblum – 15-game on-base streak in Big Ten Play (since 4/15/23)
• Jo Stevens – 10-game hit streak
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 8-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23)
• Jackson Dannelley – 12 consecutive inherited runners stranded (since 5/20/23)
Gaffney hit an opposite-field homer into the right field bullpen with Camden Gasser aboard in the first inning for his fourth home run of the season. Gasser walked twice Saturday, increasing his Big Ten-leading total to 23.
Gill's opposite-field gapper into left center landed out of the reach of a diving Huckstorf, going for a game-tying, two-out triple in the fourth inning.
Gill and Dannelley accounted for the top web gems of the day. Gill made a sliding catch in foul territory to snare a pop up for the second out of the sixth inning. Dannelley made a blind behind-the-back stab on a hot shot back to the mound, retiring Iowa's 3-hole hitter to complete a 1-2-3 top of the eighth.
Jo Stevens' single in his first at-bat gave him a 10-game hit streak for the second year in a row. Connor Caskenette was kept off base at Alexander For the first time since March 21, 2023 – ending his home streak at 27 consecutive games.
The rubber game of the series is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
The Boilermakers (16-8, 1-1 Big Ten) left the bases loaded in the eighth inning and Mike Bolton Jr. was robbed of at least a triple when center fielder Kyle Huckstorf made a stellar catch with his back to home plate to open the bottom of the ninth.
The Hawkeyes (12-10, 1-1 Big Ten) out hit the home team 14-5 but Purdue still had an opportunity to take the lead in the eighth inning. Logan Sutter, Couper Cornblum and Jo Stevens all reached base with one out to load the bases. Iowa went to the bullpen for righthander Jack Young and the sidearmer retired a pair of lefthanded hitters – Gill and pinch hitter Aaron Dolney – to keep his team in front.
Luke Wagner, Aaron Suval and Jackson Dannelley teamed up to post four consecutive zeros for the Boilermakers after the Hawkeyes scored three of their four runs over the first two frames. Huckstorf scored the go-ahead tally on an RBI single from Davis Cop after moving into third base with no outs via a pair of wild pitches.
Dannelley stranded a pair of inherited runners in the sixth inning, running his streak of inherited runners left on base to 12 dating back to the 2023 season finale. But Wagner and Dannelley both saw their consecutive scoreless innings streak come to an end. Wagner gave up an earned run for the first time since the first inning of the Feb. 25 win vs. George Mason, snapping his streak at 22 straight innings. Dannelley gave up an earned run at Alexander Field for the first time since April 30, 2023, snapping a streak at 13 consecutive innings.
Another #4faves from game two against Iowa for @PurdueBaseball pic.twitter.com/eINHVE6cVa
— Dave Wegiel Photo (@pinolaphoto) March 23, 2024
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Camden Gasser – 22-game on-base streak (every game he's played in 2024)
• Couper Cornblum – 15-game on-base streak in Big Ten Play (since 4/15/23)
• Jo Stevens – 10-game hit streak
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 8-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23)
• Jackson Dannelley – 12 consecutive inherited runners stranded (since 5/20/23)
Gaffney hit an opposite-field homer into the right field bullpen with Camden Gasser aboard in the first inning for his fourth home run of the season. Gasser walked twice Saturday, increasing his Big Ten-leading total to 23.
Gill's opposite-field gapper into left center landed out of the reach of a diving Huckstorf, going for a game-tying, two-out triple in the fourth inning.
Gill and Dannelley accounted for the top web gems of the day. Gill made a sliding catch in foul territory to snare a pop up for the second out of the sixth inning. Dannelley made a blind behind-the-back stab on a hot shot back to the mound, retiring Iowa's 3-hole hitter to complete a 1-2-3 top of the eighth.
Jo Stevens' single in his first at-bat gave him a 10-game hit streak for the second year in a row. Connor Caskenette was kept off base at Alexander For the first time since March 21, 2023 – ending his home streak at 27 consecutive games.
The rubber game of the series is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
#4faves from game two against Iowa for @PurdueBaseball pic.twitter.com/0HRjhgH4Bc
— Dave Wegiel Photo (@pinolaphoto) March 23, 2024