Baseball Hosts Northwestern for Penultimate Weekend at AlexanderBaseball Hosts Northwestern for Penultimate Weekend at Alexander

Baseball Hosts Northwestern for Penultimate Weekend at Alexander

Purdue Baseball is back at Alexander Field this weekend, continuing its home-heavy stretch run with a three-game series vs. Northwestern that should prove pivotal in the chase to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament.

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GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Northwestern (20-22, 9-12) at Purdue (26-18, 7-14 Big Ten)

Friday, May 2 to Sunday, May 4 / Stream B1G+
Series Opener: Friday, May 2 at 6 p.m.
Middle Game: Saturday, May 3 at 2 p.m.
Series Finale: Sunday, May 4 at 1 p.m.
Alexander Field / West Lafayette, Indiana

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Carter Doorn (Sr, RHP) vs. NU's Sam Hliboki (Gr, RHP)
Saturday: Cole Van Assen (So, RHP) vs. NU's Christian Forniss (Fr, LHP)
Sunday: TBA for Both Teams

WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Friday: Boilermaker Blackout – Wear Black to Alexander
Saturday: Team Alumni Day & Beverage Bat Giveaway (Early Arriving Purdue Students 21+)
Sunday: BP Jersey Silent Auction Benefitting Riley Hospital for Children; Bark at the Park Dog Day

SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Purdue leads 124-94-2
All-Time in West Lafayette: Purdue leads 64-44-1
2024: Purdue swept a 3-game series (April 26-28; Friday at Wrigley Field, Saturday-Sunday in Evanston)
Last Series in West Lafayette: Purdue won 2 of 3 (April 2023)
First Meeting: Northwestern 10, Purdue 3 (May 1900 in Evanston)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Baseball is back at Alexander Field this weekend, continuing its home-heavy stretch run with a three-game series vs. Northwestern that should prove pivotal in the chase to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament.

First pitch is set for Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Boilermakers' special uniform tops worn during Sunday's pregame batting practice will be available via silent auction from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET on Sunday. Proceeds benefit the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, where Purdue annually makes a team visit in the fall. The hooded short-sleeved quarter-zip (made by Rawlings) will feature a player's number on the left sleeve and the Riley Children's logo on the other sleeve.

Purdue played three of its four weekend series in April on the road. But the schedule turned home heavy beginning with Tuesday's victory vs. Notre Dame. The Boilermakers play eight of their final 12 regular-season games at home and all four road dates are also in the state of Indiana.

Purdue has won four of its last six games at Alexander Field, including a series win vs. a Rutgers team also in the thick of the Big Ten Tournament chase. April midweek wins vs. Arizona State and Notre Dame were also among the most exciting of the season. The Boilermakers have won five straight series vs. Northwestern dating back to 2018, winning 12 of the last 15 games vs. NU overall after sweeping last year's three-game set in Chicagoland. Friday's game was played at Wrigley Field and the rest of the series in Evanston.

 
WON 3 STRAIGHT SERIES VS A BIG TEN OPPONENT (Since 1981)
Opponent Consecutive Series Wins Overall Record During Streak Years
Penn State 6 15-4 2008-2013
Northwestern 5 12-3 2018-2024 (Active)
Michigan State 5 15-4 1997-2006
Minnesota 3 7-3 2021-2025* (Active)
Indiana 3 7-2 2009-2011
*Excludes a doubleheader on the final day of 2021 season as part of a Big Ten 3-team pod weekend
 
Entering the weekend, Purdue is two games behind Northwestern, Rutgers, Nebraska and Michigan State in the Big Ten standings. The Boilermakers need to finish ahead of or equal to two of those teams to enter the top 12 that will make up the expanded tournament field. They already hold a potential tiebreaker vs. Rutgers and host Northwestern and Nebraska here in May.

Northwestern plays last-place Ohio State next weekend, with Friday's game at Wrigley Field, before making the long trip out to Southern California for a season-ending series at UCLA. The Wildcats are one of the most improved teams in the Big Ten in year two under head coach Ben Greenspan, already surpassing last season's win total (18) and winning more Big Ten games than the last two years combined (eight). They have not been swept in a Big Ten series – taking two of three vs. Illinois and at Maryland as well as winning on Friday at Michigan State and Nebraska.

With 16 home runs, Trent Liolios has already eclipsed NU's single-season home run record. Liolios, Ryan Kucherak (13) and Owen McElfatrick (8) have combined for 37 of the Wildcats' 61 home runs.

WEEKEND #9 OF BIG TEN PLAY
Northwestern (9-12) at Purdue (7-14)
Illinois (12-9) at Rutgers (9-12)
Minnesota (7-14) at Nebraska (9-12)
Iowa (20-4) at Washington (13-8)
UCLA (16-5) at USC (14-7)
Oregon (14-7) at Michigan State (9-12)
Maryland (6-15) at Penn State (12-12)
Michigan (11-10) at Ohio State (3-18)
Indiana (12-12) at Abilene Christian – Non-Conference

PURDUE'S END OF APRIL NOTABLES
The Boilermakers have not been charged with an error in four consecutive games for the first time since May 2024.
Entering the weekend, Purdue has surrendered 18 runs over 32 innings in its last four games. That comes on the heels of the Boilers giving up 47 runs in 34 innings from April 18-22.
Purdue has scored at least seven unanswered runs in four of its last six games since April 20.
Camden Gasser is batting a team-high .367 (11-for-30) with a .525 on-base percentage over the last 10 games, starting all 10 at shortstop after the injury to Lukas Cook. He's raised his batting average .140 points since April 14.
Albert Choi remains two stolen bases shy of 100 for his collegiate career.

SUTTER THIS SEASON…
Leads the Big Ten & ranks 7th nationally with 20 doubles
Is the first Boilermaker with 20 doubles since 2012
Is 1 double shy of tying the Purdue single-season Record (21)
Has matched the most home runs (13) by a Boilermaker in the BBCOR Bat Era (since 2011)
Has homered in 8 of the 11 weekends, including the first 7 (all but Washington, Rutgers, Illinois)
Had a program-record 6-hit game on Feb. 22, finishing the win with 14 total bases (2 Singles, 2 Doubles, 2 HR)
Fastest Boilermaker to reach 20, 30, 40 RBI and 10 Doubles
Second-fastest Boilermaker to reach 50 RBI (April 22)
Second-fastest Boilermaker to reach 10 home runs (April 18)
Is the 10th Boilermaker since 2001 to record multiple multi-HR games in a season
All Fastest Rankings are based on since 2001

 
BOILERMAKERS CLIMBING THE TEAM'S SINGLE-SEASON LEADERBOARDS
Doubles
1.) Klink (2003), Sickler (2001) – 21
3.) Logan Sutter (2025) – 20
      Five Others Tied with – 20





 
Home Runs
1.) Brett Roach (1987) – 21
2.) Dan Black (2008) – 18
3.) Archi Cianfrocco (1987) – 17
4.) Mike Galle (1988) – 16
5.) Dan Black (2009) – 15
6.) Biltimier (1992), Allison (1986) – 14
8.) Logan Sutter (2025) – 13
      Six Others Tied with – 13
 
RBI
1.) Mike Biltimier (1993) – 74
2.) Brett Roach (1987) – 73
3.) Dan Black (2008) – 70
4.) Connor Caskenette (2024) – 69
5.) Luke Gaffney (2024) – 64
6.) Perkins (2012), Cianfrocco (1987) – 61
8.) McGowan (2018), Galle (1988) – 59
10.) Logan Sutter (2025) – 57
Appearances
1.) Andy Loomis (2008) – 32
2.) Three Tied with – 20
5.) Four Tied with – 29
9.) Two Tied with – 28
11.) Five Tied with – 27
Avery Cook (2025) – 23
Saves
1.) Ross Learnard (2018) – 15
2.) Andy Helmer (2000) – 13
3.) Wittgren (2011), Lindblom (2008) – 12
5.) Wittgren (2012), Daubach (1986) – 10
6.) Avery Cook (2025) – 8
     Jason Driscoll (2004) – 8
Hit By Pitch
1.) Evan Warden (2017) – 30
2.) Cam Thompson (2022) – 27
3.) Harry Shipley (2017) – 24
4.) Mike Bolton Jr. (2024) – 21
5.) Brandon Anderson (2025) – 20
   Caskenette (2024), Shipley (2018) – 20
 
BOILERMAKERS AMONG THE BIG TEN LEADERS
Logan Sutter: 1st in Doubles (20), 2nd in Avg (.375), 2nd in RBI (57), 3rd in OPS (1.226), 4th in SLUG (.744), 6th in Total Bases (119), T-8th in OBP (.483), T-9th in HR (13), T-9th in Runs (47), T-10th in Hits (60)
Avery Cook: 1st in Appearances (23), T-2nd in Saves (8)
Brandon Anderson: 1st in HBP (20), T-6th in Runs (49)
Michael Vallone: 2nd in WHIP (1.06), 3rd om K/9 (10.9), 4th in B/Avg (.201), 8th in ERA (3.64)
Albert Choi: 3rd in Steals (16)
Ty Gill: T-10th in Steals (11)

NOTABLE NATIONAL RANKINGS ENTERING THE WEEKEND
Logan Sutter: 7th in Doubles (20), 23rd in RBI (57), 26th in SLUG (.744)
Avery Cook: 11th in Appearances (23), 18th in Saves (8)
Brandon Anderson: 15th in Hit By Pitch (20)