GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Purdue (31-17, 12-6 Big Ten) at UIC (31-13, 14-7 MVC)
Tuesday, May 7 at 7 p.m. ET / ESPN+
Curtis Granderson Stadium / Chicago, Ill.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Cole Van Assen (Fr, RHP) vs. TBA for UIC
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Purdue leads 13-12
All-Time in Chicago: UIC leads 7-4
First Meeting of 2024: UIC 6, Purdue 5 – 14 Innings (March 20 in West Lafayette)
2023 in Chicago: UIC 7, Purdue 3 (May 10)
Purdue's Last Win in the Series: Purdue 5, UIC 3 (April 2014 in West Lafayette)
First Meetings: Purdue swept a doubleheader 5-0 & 14-4 (May 1982 in West Lafayette)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – As Purdue Baseball returns to Chicago 11 days after its thrilling win at Wrigley Field, the Boilermakers' final non-conference game of the regular season is a midweek rematch with a UIC team that also has 31 wins on the season.
First pitch at Curtis Granderson Stadium is slated for 7 p.m. ET. Located just two miles southwest of the Loop, Granderson Stadium's unobstructed view of the Chicago skyline makes for the most captivating and unique backdrop for any game the Boilermakers will play this season.
Purdue and UIC are a combined 62-30 this season. It will be the Boilermakers' first game since the 2018 NCAA Chapel Hill Regional in which both teams have 30-plus wins. A May 5-6 weekend series at UCLA in 2012 marked the last time Purdue and its opponent both had 30 wins by May 7.
The Flames won a 14-inning thriller in West Lafayette on March 20, prevailing in the longest game in the history of Alexander Field in both time (5:03) and innings. Forty-three total players saw action in the game – 17 for UIC and 26 for Purdue. The Boilermakers had to go deeper into their bench due in part to losing the designated hitter to open the ninth inning. Purdue pitchers essentially threw a shutout in the marathon – nine consecutive scoreless innings from the fifth through 13th innings – but the Flames scored twice in the top of the 14th and hung on as the home side stranded the tying run at second base to end the game.
UIC has won all five meetings since the midweek series resumed from an eight-year hiatus in March 2022, with four of the five games being decided in the eighth inning or later. The Flames are 17-3 at home this season and a perfect 7-0 in midweek action, with two of their midweek wins coming in a home-and-home sweep of Northwestern. Both teams should enter Tuesday in the top 75 in the RPI – Purdue at 69, UIC at 73.
Northwestern was also the Boilermakers' opponent at Wrigley on April 26, which became a Friday night to remember when they rode 10 singles and a quality start from Jordan Morales to a 9-3 victory. After beating Indiana this past Friday for its 11th consecutive Big Ten win, Purdue has won four consecutive series openers in Big Ten play. But after dropping Sunday's rubber game in heartbreaking fashion, and thus the series, the Boilers enter the penultimate week of the regular season having lost consecutive games for the first time since March 29-30. That weekend also marked the last time UIC lost consecutive games, suffering a sweep in Terre Haute at the hands of common opponent Indiana State.
It's a week of returning to familiar locales or states for selected Boilermakers. Transfers Breck Nowik (UIC) and Camden Gasser (Michigan) both play at their former teams' home fields this week. Chicago native Mike Bolton Jr. rides his 27-game on-base streak into a return trip to the Windy City. Cole Van Assen (from Tinley Park, Illinois) is expected to get the ball again Tuesday and in doing so become Purdue's starting pitcher in the final seven midweek games of the season. This weekend as part of the Boilers' first trip to Ann Arbor since the April 2015, the team hotel is in nearby Ypsilanti. Michigan native Aaron Dolney played two seasons at Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti before joining Purdue as a grad transfer.
Beginning with Van Assen's three shutout innings in the victory vs. DePauw last week, Purdue starting pitchers teamed up for 21 innings of four-run ball at Alexander Field. Van Assen, Morales, Luke Wagner and Kyle Iwinski compiled a combined 0.81 WHIP and 1.71 ERA with 13 strikeouts vs. three walks.
Since the first meeting on March 20, Purdue is 15-10 and UIC is 18-7.
Purdue (31-17, 12-6 Big Ten) at UIC (31-13, 14-7 MVC)
Tuesday, May 7 at 7 p.m. ET / ESPN+
Curtis Granderson Stadium / Chicago, Ill.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Cole Van Assen (Fr, RHP) vs. TBA for UIC
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Purdue leads 13-12
All-Time in Chicago: UIC leads 7-4
First Meeting of 2024: UIC 6, Purdue 5 – 14 Innings (March 20 in West Lafayette)
2023 in Chicago: UIC 7, Purdue 3 (May 10)
Purdue's Last Win in the Series: Purdue 5, UIC 3 (April 2014 in West Lafayette)
First Meetings: Purdue swept a doubleheader 5-0 & 14-4 (May 1982 in West Lafayette)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – As Purdue Baseball returns to Chicago 11 days after its thrilling win at Wrigley Field, the Boilermakers' final non-conference game of the regular season is a midweek rematch with a UIC team that also has 31 wins on the season.
First pitch at Curtis Granderson Stadium is slated for 7 p.m. ET. Located just two miles southwest of the Loop, Granderson Stadium's unobstructed view of the Chicago skyline makes for the most captivating and unique backdrop for any game the Boilermakers will play this season.
Purdue and UIC are a combined 62-30 this season. It will be the Boilermakers' first game since the 2018 NCAA Chapel Hill Regional in which both teams have 30-plus wins. A May 5-6 weekend series at UCLA in 2012 marked the last time Purdue and its opponent both had 30 wins by May 7.
The Flames won a 14-inning thriller in West Lafayette on March 20, prevailing in the longest game in the history of Alexander Field in both time (5:03) and innings. Forty-three total players saw action in the game – 17 for UIC and 26 for Purdue. The Boilermakers had to go deeper into their bench due in part to losing the designated hitter to open the ninth inning. Purdue pitchers essentially threw a shutout in the marathon – nine consecutive scoreless innings from the fifth through 13th innings – but the Flames scored twice in the top of the 14th and hung on as the home side stranded the tying run at second base to end the game.
| PURDUE'S LONGEST GAMES IN THE RECORD BOOK (By Inning) | |||||
| Date | Opponent | Location | Innings | Time | Final Score |
| 3/22/2014 | at Southern Ill. | Carbondale, Ill. | 16 | 4:00 | L, 5-4 |
| 4/11/2004 | Ohio State | Lambert Field | 16 | 3:47 | W, 5-4 |
| 3/19/2016 | vs Ohio | Kokomo, Ind. | 15 | 4:27 | W, 5-4 |
| 3/20/2024 | UIC | Alexander Field | 14 | 5:03 | L, 6-5 |
| 4/28/2012 | Michigan State | Lambert Field | 14 | 3:30 | W, 4-3 |
| 3/05/2022 | vs Longwood | Holly Springs, N.C. | 13 | 4:45 | W, 6-5 |
| 4/08/2018 | at Indiana | Bloomington, Ind. | 13 | 4:04 | L, 7-5 |
| 4/25/2014 | Ohio State | Alexander Field | 13 | 2:58 | W, 4-3 |
UIC has won all five meetings since the midweek series resumed from an eight-year hiatus in March 2022, with four of the five games being decided in the eighth inning or later. The Flames are 17-3 at home this season and a perfect 7-0 in midweek action, with two of their midweek wins coming in a home-and-home sweep of Northwestern. Both teams should enter Tuesday in the top 75 in the RPI – Purdue at 69, UIC at 73.
Northwestern was also the Boilermakers' opponent at Wrigley on April 26, which became a Friday night to remember when they rode 10 singles and a quality start from Jordan Morales to a 9-3 victory. After beating Indiana this past Friday for its 11th consecutive Big Ten win, Purdue has won four consecutive series openers in Big Ten play. But after dropping Sunday's rubber game in heartbreaking fashion, and thus the series, the Boilers enter the penultimate week of the regular season having lost consecutive games for the first time since March 29-30. That weekend also marked the last time UIC lost consecutive games, suffering a sweep in Terre Haute at the hands of common opponent Indiana State.
It's a week of returning to familiar locales or states for selected Boilermakers. Transfers Breck Nowik (UIC) and Camden Gasser (Michigan) both play at their former teams' home fields this week. Chicago native Mike Bolton Jr. rides his 27-game on-base streak into a return trip to the Windy City. Cole Van Assen (from Tinley Park, Illinois) is expected to get the ball again Tuesday and in doing so become Purdue's starting pitcher in the final seven midweek games of the season. This weekend as part of the Boilers' first trip to Ann Arbor since the April 2015, the team hotel is in nearby Ypsilanti. Michigan native Aaron Dolney played two seasons at Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti before joining Purdue as a grad transfer.
Beginning with Van Assen's three shutout innings in the victory vs. DePauw last week, Purdue starting pitchers teamed up for 21 innings of four-run ball at Alexander Field. Van Assen, Morales, Luke Wagner and Kyle Iwinski compiled a combined 0.81 WHIP and 1.71 ERA with 13 strikeouts vs. three walks.
Since the first meeting on March 20, Purdue is 15-10 and UIC is 18-7.
| TEAM RECORD WATCH | ||
| Statistical Category | Purdue Season Record | Team Total as of May 6 |
| Runs | 454 in 1986 | 404 (4th in Team History) |
| Runs Per Game | 7.44 in 2022 | 8.42 |
| RBI | 397 in 1986 | 378 (T-3rd in Team History) |
| Doubles | 124 in 2008 | 102 |
| Home Runs | 73 in 1987 | 60 (3rd in Team History) |
| Walks | 310 in 1981 | 251 |
| HBP | 112 in 2022 (since 1981) | 99 |
| Total Bases | 950 in 2010 | 782 |
| On-Base Pct. | .405 in 2009 (Since 1982) | .417 |
| Slugging Pct. | .498 in 1987 | .485 |
| GAFFNEY FRESHMAN RECORD WATCH | ||
| Statistical Category | Freshman Record Entering 2024 | Luke Gaffney's Total as of May 6 |
| RBI | 53 – Kevin Plawecki, 2010 | 60 (Broke Record April 20) |
| Run Scored | 50 – Brett Roach, 1986 | 54 (Broke Record April 24) |
| Total Bases | 119 – Perkins (2010)/Roach (1986) | 120 (Broke Record April 27) |
| Home Runs | 12 – Brett Roach, 1986 | 11 |
| Doubles | 17 – Cameron Perkins, 2010 | 13 |
| Hits | 74 – Cameron Perkins, 2010 | 68 |
| Walks | 33 – Brett Roach, 1986 | 25 |
| Batting Average | .371 – Eric Charles, 2009 | .391 |
| On-Base Percentage | .461 – Eric Charles, 2009 | .478 |
| Slugging Percentage | .583 – Brett Roach, 1986 | .690 |
| Triples | 5 – Eric Osborn, 2004 | 3 |
| At-Bats | 219 – Cameron Perkins, 2010 | 174 |
| PURDUE'S SINGLE-SEASON LEADERBOARDS | |
| RBI 1.) Mike Biltimier, 74 – 1993 2.) Brett Roach, 73 – 1987 3.) Dan Black, 70 – 2008 4.) Connor Caskenette, 66 – 2024 T-5.) Cameron Perkins, 61 – 2012 T-5.) Archi Cianfrocco, 61 – 1987 7.) Luke Gaffney, 60 – 2024 |
RUNS SCORED 1.) Mitch Hilligoss, 62 – 2006 2.) Brandon Haveman, 60 – 2008 3.) Dave Scheitlin, 57 – 1990 4.) Stephen Talbott, 55 – 2011 T-5.) Luke Gaffney, 54 – 2024 T-5.) Kevin Plawecki, 54 – 2012 7.) Three tied with 53 10.) Five tied with 52 15.) Camden Gasser, 51 – 2024 |
| MULTIPLE 5+ RBI GAMES IN A SEASON (Since 2001) | |||
| Year | Boilermaker | 5+ RBI Games | Game Scores |
| 2024 | Connor Caskenette | 4/06 at Rutgers 4/16 vs Ball State (7) 4/28 at Northwestern (7) 5/03 vs Indiana |
W, 8-6 W, 13-3 W, 11-3 W, 7-4 |
| 2024 | Luke Gaffney | 2/17 vs Stony Brook 4/14 vs Michigan State |
W, 12-8 W, 21-1 |
| 2023 | Jake Jarvis | 2/19 vs Holy Cross (6) 4/08 at Minnesota |
W, 12-2 W, 15-3 |
| 2023 | Paul Toetz | 2/18 vs Holy Cross (6) 3/04 vs Akron (6) |
W, 14-4 W, 17-9 |
| 2022 | Troy Viola | 4/29 vs Michigan 5/13 at Northwestern |
W, 18-4 W, 14-8 |
| 2022 | CJ Valdez | 4/19 at UIC 5/07 at Iowa |
L, 9-6 W, 10-6 |
| 2016 | Kyle Johnson | 3/05 at ETSU (6) 3/22 at Ball State |
W, 19-6 L, 9-8 |
| 2009 | Dan Black | 3/08 at Texas State 3/20 at Tenn-Martin 5/14 vs Illinois |
L, 14-10 W, 11-7 (10) W, 12-5 |
| 2008 | Dan Black | 3/15 at Ohio (6) 4/19 at Ohio State (6) 5/16 at Illinois 5/22 vs Penn State (6) 5/24 vs Indiana |
W, 9-4 W, 8-0 W, 14-4 W, 15-6 W, 11-7 |
| 2004 | John Hunter | 4/04 at Penn State 5/02 at Minnesota (9) |
W, 18-2 W, 15-9 |
| 2003 | Daniel Underwood | 4/02 at Ball State (6) 5/11 at Indiana (6) |
L, 17-14 W, 20-4 |