GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Illinois (30-17, 15-6 Big Ten) at Purdue (33-19, 13-8 Big Ten)
Thursday to Saturday, May 16-18 / Big Ten Network
UPDATED MAY 16 AT 2:30 PM
Series Opener: Thursday, May 16 at 7:15 p.m. ET on BTN (& Starting on Fox Sports App)
Middle Game: Friday, May 17 at 8 p.m. ET on BTN
Series Finale: Saturday, May 18 at 3 p.m. ET on BTN
Alexander Field / West Lafayette, Indiana
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Thursday: Jordan Morales (Grad, LHP) vs. ILL's Jack Crowder (Sr, RHP)
Friday: Luke Wagner (Sr, LHP) vs. TBA for Illinois
Saturday: Kyle Iwinski (Sr, RHP) vs. TBA for Illinois
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Illinois leads 168-87-1
All-Time in West Lafayette: Illinois leads 68-44-1
Last Series: Illinois swept a 3-game set (April 2022 in Champaign)
Last Series in West Lafayette: Illinois swept a 3-game set (April 2021)
Purdue's Last Series Win vs. Illinois: Won twice as part of a 3-team pod (April 2021 in Champaign)
Purdue's Last Series Win vs. Illinois in West Lafayette: Swept a 3-game set (April 2017)
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Thursday: Purdue Wine Cup Giveaway (8 p.m. Game)
Friday: Postgame Fireworks
Saturday: Senior Day Ceremony at 2:30 p.m.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Baseball closes out the regular season at home for the sixth consecutive campaign since 2018, hosting league-leading Illinois for a Big Ten spotlight series featuring two of the top three teams in the standings.
Twenty seniors will be recognized before the regular-season finale as part of the annual Senior Day ceremony at Alexander Field.
The Fighting Illini (15-6 Big Ten) will be making just their third appearance at Alexander Field since the stadium opened in 2013. They have a one-game lead on second-place Nebraska (14-7) and a two-game edge on the three teams tied for third – Purdue, Indiana and Michigan (all 13-8). All five teams have an opportunity to win at least a share of the Big Ten, with Nebraska (at Michigan State) the only one not playing another team in the top five. Illinois and Purdue were both not among the top six in the preseason coaches poll; Michigan was sixth in that poll.
The Boilermakers need to sweep Illinois to have a chance at their first Big Ten title since 2012. Illinois is aiming to win its first league crown since its historic 21-1 campaign in 2015. While one loss would eliminate the Boilermakers from having a chance at winning a share of the Big Ten, Nebraska needs their help regardless – potentially setting up a similar scenario as 2017. The Huskers' first Big Ten title was aided by Purdue winning two of three at first-place Minnesota the final weekend of the regular season.
With Iowa having completed its Big Ten season at 14-10, the top six in the Big Ten Tournament are essentially locked in. It's the final two bids that are undecided as Ohio State, Maryland and Michigan State (all 10-11 Big Ten) scoreboard watch and aim to hold off Minnesota and Penn State (both 9-12).
HOW PURDUE (OFFICIALLY) CLINCHES A BIG TEN TOURNAMENT BERTH (Any of the 3)
• Win 1 Game
• Ohio State, Maryland or Michigan State Lose 1 Game (1 loss by any of the 3)
• Michigan Wins 1 Game (at Indiana)
• Notable: Purdue emerges among top 8 in any multiple-team tiebreakers involving OSU, UMD & MSU
• RPI is the applicable tiebreaker when a four- or more team tie does not feature a common Big Ten opponent
FINAL WEEKEND OF BIG TEN PLAY
• Illinois (15-6) at Purdue (13-8)
• Nebraska (14-7) at Michigan State (10-11)
• Michigan (13-8) at Indiana (13-8)
• Penn State (9-12) at Maryland (10-11)
• Ohio State (10-11) at Rutgers (5-16)
• Minnesota (9-12) at Northwestern (3-18)
• FIU at Iowa (14-10) – Non-Conference
Illinois leads the Big Ten with 96 home runs and a .534 slugging percentage. The Illini have three players with 14 home runs and five with at least 10 – Ryan Moerman (15), Jacob Schroeder (14), Drake Westcott (14), Vytas Valincius (11) and Brody Harding (10). But it's Coltin Quagliano (9 HR, 49 RBI) that leads the team in RBI.
Purdue's 67 home runs rank fourth in the Big Ten as the program's second most in program history. The Boilermakers feature the top two RBI leaders in the league, Connor Caskenette (68) and Luke Gaffney (63), who have combined for 25 home runs. Keenan Spence rounds out the trio with 10-plus homers.
Both teams are averaging over eight runs per game – Illinois 8.36, Purdue 8.29 – and thrive on big innings. The question becomes: how will Alexander play this weekend? During the ETSU series the weekend of April 19-21, the ballpark yielded 11 home runs in 23 innings. The last weekend series at Alexander, May 3-5 vs. Indiana, the ballpark yielded only two home runs in 27 innings. In the Illini's previous two visits to Alexander – in April 2017 and 2021 – the series featured a combined six home runs (one in 2017, five in 2021).
The teams are set to square off for a weekend series in May for the first time since 2011 at Lambert Field.
Illinois went 20-3 at home this year and is just 5-10 in true road games. But the Illini won two of three at Indiana (March 22-24) and Minnesota (April 5-7) while racing out to an 11-2 start in Big Ten play. They also won four of six at home vs. Ohio State and Iowa the last two weekends to hold on to first place in the standings going into the final weekend.
Jordan Morales is in line to become the first Boilermaker since Scott Byrnes in 2005 to start the opening game of every weekend of the regular season. Morales' 2.76 ERA and .243 batting average in 45 2/3 innings in Big Ten play are big reason why the Boilermakers have won six of their seven series openers, including five in a row.
ACTIVE STREAKS
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 31-game on-base streak; 27-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23); 17-game on-base streak at home; 6-game hit streak at home
• Couper Cornblum – 9-game on-base streak; 7-game hit streak in all games; 7-game hit streak in Big Ten play; 105 consecutive games started (since start of 2023)
• Keenan Spence – 6-game hit streak, 10-game on-base streak at home;
• Carter Doorn – 16 consecutive scoreless innings in Big Ten play
TOP 10 IN THE BIG TEN ENTERING THE WEEKEND
• Luke Gaffney – 1st in OPS (1.126), 1st in Total Bases (128), 1st in Runs (56), 2nd in RBI (63), 2nd in Slugging (.667), T-2nd in Triples (3), 4th in Batting Avg (.375), T-5th in Hits (72)
• Connor Caskenette – T-1st in RBI (68), 4th in Slugging (.628), T-9th in HR (13), 9th in Slugging (.605)
• Camden Gasser – 1st in Walks (51), 1st in OBP (.522), T-5th in Runs (52), 5th in Steals (17)
• Jordan Morales – T-1st in Wins (7), 4th in Innings (75 1/3), 8th in ERA (3.94), 8th in Walks per 9 IP (2.4), T-8th in Strikeouts (65)
• Luke Wagner – T-1st in Wins (7)
• Couper Cornblum – T-2nd in Triples (3), 8th in At-Bats (206)
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 3rd in Steals (23)
• Jackson Dannelley – T-4th in Saves (5)
• Logan Sutter – 6th in Slugging (.625), 7th in OPS (1.078), T-10th in Doubles (15)
• Keenan Spence – 7th in Slugging (.624)
Illinois (30-17, 15-6 Big Ten) at Purdue (33-19, 13-8 Big Ten)
Thursday to Saturday, May 16-18 / Big Ten Network
UPDATED MAY 16 AT 2:30 PM
Series Opener: Thursday, May 16 at 7:15 p.m. ET on BTN (& Starting on Fox Sports App)
Middle Game: Friday, May 17 at 8 p.m. ET on BTN
Series Finale: Saturday, May 18 at 3 p.m. ET on BTN
Alexander Field / West Lafayette, Indiana
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Thursday: Jordan Morales (Grad, LHP) vs. ILL's Jack Crowder (Sr, RHP)
Friday: Luke Wagner (Sr, LHP) vs. TBA for Illinois
Saturday: Kyle Iwinski (Sr, RHP) vs. TBA for Illinois
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Illinois leads 168-87-1
All-Time in West Lafayette: Illinois leads 68-44-1
Last Series: Illinois swept a 3-game set (April 2022 in Champaign)
Last Series in West Lafayette: Illinois swept a 3-game set (April 2021)
Purdue's Last Series Win vs. Illinois: Won twice as part of a 3-team pod (April 2021 in Champaign)
Purdue's Last Series Win vs. Illinois in West Lafayette: Swept a 3-game set (April 2017)
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Thursday: Purdue Wine Cup Giveaway (8 p.m. Game)
Friday: Postgame Fireworks
Saturday: Senior Day Ceremony at 2:30 p.m.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Baseball closes out the regular season at home for the sixth consecutive campaign since 2018, hosting league-leading Illinois for a Big Ten spotlight series featuring two of the top three teams in the standings.
Twenty seniors will be recognized before the regular-season finale as part of the annual Senior Day ceremony at Alexander Field.
The Fighting Illini (15-6 Big Ten) will be making just their third appearance at Alexander Field since the stadium opened in 2013. They have a one-game lead on second-place Nebraska (14-7) and a two-game edge on the three teams tied for third – Purdue, Indiana and Michigan (all 13-8). All five teams have an opportunity to win at least a share of the Big Ten, with Nebraska (at Michigan State) the only one not playing another team in the top five. Illinois and Purdue were both not among the top six in the preseason coaches poll; Michigan was sixth in that poll.
The Boilermakers need to sweep Illinois to have a chance at their first Big Ten title since 2012. Illinois is aiming to win its first league crown since its historic 21-1 campaign in 2015. While one loss would eliminate the Boilermakers from having a chance at winning a share of the Big Ten, Nebraska needs their help regardless – potentially setting up a similar scenario as 2017. The Huskers' first Big Ten title was aided by Purdue winning two of three at first-place Minnesota the final weekend of the regular season.
With Iowa having completed its Big Ten season at 14-10, the top six in the Big Ten Tournament are essentially locked in. It's the final two bids that are undecided as Ohio State, Maryland and Michigan State (all 10-11 Big Ten) scoreboard watch and aim to hold off Minnesota and Penn State (both 9-12).
HOW PURDUE (OFFICIALLY) CLINCHES A BIG TEN TOURNAMENT BERTH (Any of the 3)
• Win 1 Game
• Ohio State, Maryland or Michigan State Lose 1 Game (1 loss by any of the 3)
• Michigan Wins 1 Game (at Indiana)
• Notable: Purdue emerges among top 8 in any multiple-team tiebreakers involving OSU, UMD & MSU
• RPI is the applicable tiebreaker when a four- or more team tie does not feature a common Big Ten opponent
FINAL WEEKEND OF BIG TEN PLAY
• Illinois (15-6) at Purdue (13-8)
• Nebraska (14-7) at Michigan State (10-11)
• Michigan (13-8) at Indiana (13-8)
• Penn State (9-12) at Maryland (10-11)
• Ohio State (10-11) at Rutgers (5-16)
• Minnesota (9-12) at Northwestern (3-18)
• FIU at Iowa (14-10) – Non-Conference
Illinois leads the Big Ten with 96 home runs and a .534 slugging percentage. The Illini have three players with 14 home runs and five with at least 10 – Ryan Moerman (15), Jacob Schroeder (14), Drake Westcott (14), Vytas Valincius (11) and Brody Harding (10). But it's Coltin Quagliano (9 HR, 49 RBI) that leads the team in RBI.
Purdue's 67 home runs rank fourth in the Big Ten as the program's second most in program history. The Boilermakers feature the top two RBI leaders in the league, Connor Caskenette (68) and Luke Gaffney (63), who have combined for 25 home runs. Keenan Spence rounds out the trio with 10-plus homers.
Both teams are averaging over eight runs per game – Illinois 8.36, Purdue 8.29 – and thrive on big innings. The question becomes: how will Alexander play this weekend? During the ETSU series the weekend of April 19-21, the ballpark yielded 11 home runs in 23 innings. The last weekend series at Alexander, May 3-5 vs. Indiana, the ballpark yielded only two home runs in 27 innings. In the Illini's previous two visits to Alexander – in April 2017 and 2021 – the series featured a combined six home runs (one in 2017, five in 2021).
The teams are set to square off for a weekend series in May for the first time since 2011 at Lambert Field.
Illinois went 20-3 at home this year and is just 5-10 in true road games. But the Illini won two of three at Indiana (March 22-24) and Minnesota (April 5-7) while racing out to an 11-2 start in Big Ten play. They also won four of six at home vs. Ohio State and Iowa the last two weekends to hold on to first place in the standings going into the final weekend.
Jordan Morales is in line to become the first Boilermaker since Scott Byrnes in 2005 to start the opening game of every weekend of the regular season. Morales' 2.76 ERA and .243 batting average in 45 2/3 innings in Big Ten play are big reason why the Boilermakers have won six of their seven series openers, including five in a row.
| FEWEST GAMES AT ALEXANDER AMONG BIG TEN TEAMS (Since 2013) | |||
| Team | Games | Opponent Record | Last Visit |
| Maryland | 5 | 5-0 | May 2022 |
| Illinois | 6 | 3-3 | April 2021 |
| Nebraska | 9 | 8-1 | May 2023 |
| Michigan State | 9 | 4-5 | April 2024 |
| Indiana | 10 | 4-6 | May 2024 |
| Minnesota | 11* | 9-2 | May 2021 |
| *Also includes 4 games vs. Penn State (3-1 record) | |||
| PURDUE SENIORS TO BE RECOGNIZED SATURDAY | |
| CJ Backer Jonathan Blackwell Mike Bolton Jr. Chase Brown Connor Caskenette Avery Cook Couper Cornblum Jackson Dannelley Aaron Dolney Weston Gingerich |
Thomas Green Kyle Iwinski Cal Lambert Griffin Lohman Jordan Morales Davis Pratt Jo Stevens Aaron Suval Keenan Taylor Luke Wagner |
ACTIVE STREAKS
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 31-game on-base streak; 27-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23); 17-game on-base streak at home; 6-game hit streak at home
• Couper Cornblum – 9-game on-base streak; 7-game hit streak in all games; 7-game hit streak in Big Ten play; 105 consecutive games started (since start of 2023)
• Keenan Spence – 6-game hit streak, 10-game on-base streak at home;
• Carter Doorn – 16 consecutive scoreless innings in Big Ten play
TOP 10 IN THE BIG TEN ENTERING THE WEEKEND
• Luke Gaffney – 1st in OPS (1.126), 1st in Total Bases (128), 1st in Runs (56), 2nd in RBI (63), 2nd in Slugging (.667), T-2nd in Triples (3), 4th in Batting Avg (.375), T-5th in Hits (72)
• Connor Caskenette – T-1st in RBI (68), 4th in Slugging (.628), T-9th in HR (13), 9th in Slugging (.605)
• Camden Gasser – 1st in Walks (51), 1st in OBP (.522), T-5th in Runs (52), 5th in Steals (17)
• Jordan Morales – T-1st in Wins (7), 4th in Innings (75 1/3), 8th in ERA (3.94), 8th in Walks per 9 IP (2.4), T-8th in Strikeouts (65)
• Luke Wagner – T-1st in Wins (7)
• Couper Cornblum – T-2nd in Triples (3), 8th in At-Bats (206)
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 3rd in Steals (23)
• Jackson Dannelley – T-4th in Saves (5)
• Logan Sutter – 6th in Slugging (.625), 7th in OPS (1.078), T-10th in Doubles (15)
• Keenan Spence – 7th in Slugging (.624)
| TEAM RECORD WATCH | ||
| Statistical Category | Purdue Season Record | Team Total as of May 15 |
| Runs | 454 in 1986 | 431 (2nd in Team History) |
| Runs Per Game | 7.44 in 2022 | 8.29 |
| RBI | 397 in 1986 | 404 (Broke Record May 11) |
| Doubles | 124 in 2008 | 113 (5th in Team History) |
| Home Runs | 73 in 1987 | 67 (T-2nd in Team History) |
| Walks | 310 in 1981 | 267 (4th in Team History) |
| HBP | 112 in 2022 (since 1981) | 103 |
| Total Bases | 950 in 2010 | 850 |
| On-Base Pct. | .405 in 2009 (Since 1982) | .412 |
| Slugging Pct. | .498 in 1987 | .486 |
| GAFFNEY FRESHMAN RECORD WATCH | ||
| Statistical Category | Freshman Record Entering 2024 | Luke Gaffney's Total as of May 15 |
| RBI | 53 – Kevin Plawecki, 2010 | 63 (Broke Record April 20) |
| Run Scored | 50 – Brett Roach, 1986 | 56 (Broke Record April 24) |
| Total Bases | 119 – Perkins (2010)/Roach (1986) | 128 (Broke Record April 27) |
| Home Runs | 12 – Brett Roach, 1986 | 12 (Tied Record May 7) |
| Hits | 74 – Cameron Perkins, 2010 | 72 |
| Doubles | 17 – Cameron Perkins, 2010 | 14 |
| Walks | 33 – Brett Roach, 1986 | 25 |
| Batting Average | .371 – Eric Charles, 2009 | .375 |
| On-Base Percentage | .461 – Eric Charles, 2009 | .460 |
| Slugging Percentage | .583 – Brett Roach, 1986 | .667 |
| Triples | 5 – Eric Osborn, 2004 | 3 |
| At-Bats | 219 – Cameron Perkins, 2010 | 192 |
| 1.000+ OPS SEASONS (Since 2001) Minimum 60 At-Bats |
|||||
| Season | Boilermaker | OBP | SLUG | OPS | At-Bats |
| 2009 | Dan Black | .518 | .667 | 1.185 | 174 |
| 2007 | Ryne White | .521 | .663 | 1.184 | 199 |
| 2024 | Luke Gaffney | .460 | .667 | 1.127 | 192 |
| 2008 | Dan Black | .444 | .675 | 1.119 | 194 |
| 2010 | Payton Bieker | .468 | .631 | 1.099 | 65 |
| 2001 | Nate Sickler | .440 | .651 | 1.091 | 195 |
| 2024 | Logan Sutter | .453 | .625 | 1.078 | 128 |
| 2009 | Brandon Haveman | .462 | .616 | 1.078 | 185 |
| 2003 | Daniel Underwood | .420 | .658 | 1.078 | 199 |
| 2007 | Jordan Comadena | .455 | .620 | 1.075 | 100 |
| 2024 | Keenan Spence | .423 | .624 | 1.047 | 133 |
| 2024 | Connor Caskenette | .429 | .605 | 1.034 | 172 |
| 2006 | Mitch Hilligoss | .453 | .579 | 1.032 | 228 |
| 2022 | Cam Thompson | .424 | .607 | 1.031 | 178 |
| 2012 | Kevin Plawecki | .445 | .578 | 1.023 | 223 |
| 2008 | Ryne White | .439 | .576 | 1.015 | 210 |
| 2008 | Jonathan Lilly | .480 | .529 | 1.009 | 87 |
| 2010 | Drew Madia | .454 | .552 | 1.006 | 143 |
| 2023 | Paul Toetz | .425 | .579 | 1.004 | 197 |
| 2021 | Ben Nisle | .421 | .580 | 1.001 | 157 |
| 2009 | John Cummins | .465 | .536 | 1.001 | 110 |