College baseball is back!!!
— Ryan (@ryanmcneill) February 15, 2026
Bench losing its mind.
9th inning rally.
Players storm the field.
Watching this live instantly reminded me of @JDelongchamps’ “Tis Night Before College Baseball” poem.
I love all the emotions of college baseball.#Purdue #baseball @PurdueBaseball pic.twitter.com/vhqjcoimRt
Walk-off: Erdman Shines, Manias Wins it in 9th
SUGAR LAND, Texas – As a pinch hitter, Aaron Manias delivered the game-winning two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning as Purdue Baseball was victorious in walk-off fashion 2-1 Saturday vs. Portland at Constellation Field.
Zach Erdman was dominant on the mound in his Purdue debut. The native Texan worked eight shutout innings of three-hit ball, striking out a career-high seven while not issuing a walk. It marked the first time a Boilermaker went eight innings on the mound since May 2023. Jackson Smeltz’s one-hitter vs. Indiana in April 2022 at Alexander Field marked the last time a Purdue pitcher worked eight shutout frames.
CJ Richmond's one-out single ignited the ninth-inning rally. Consecutive walks to Jimmy Dionne and Sergio DeCello loaded the bases. Pinch runners Brandon Rogers and Zach Zychowski scored the game-tying and winning runs on Manias' line drive single into right field.
It was Purdue's first walk-off win in its 18 games at Constellation Field dating back to 2022. The Boilermakers (1-1) also won twice in walk-off fashion last season after trailing in the ninth inning.
Portland (1-1) broke the scoreless stalemate with a run in the top of the ninth, capitalizing on a leadoff double.
Erdman rolled through five true 1-2-3 innings. He retired the first 10 batters of the game and the final eight men he faced. For the day, the lefty retired 23 of 26 batters faced. Erdman erased the only leadoff base runner he allowed with a pickoff at first base.
Eli Anderson singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth, extending his hit streak to 14 consecutive games dating back to April 2025. The Boilermakers put their leadoff aboard in the third, sixth and eighth innings, but the Pilots turned 6-4-3 double plays to eliminate leadoff hits by Ross Highfill and Anderson.
DeCello reached base safely three times as the designated hitter batting in the 7-hole. With the game still scoreless, he was hit by a pitch to open the bottom of the eighth. A throwing error on a sacrifice bunt and walk to Anderson loaded the bases, but two timely strikeouts in the frame helped Portland escape the jam.
Austin Klug surrendered a run after the leadoff double by pinch hitter Cody Nitowitz. But Klug was able to strand the bases loaded in the top of the ninth to keep it a one-run game.
Freshman shortstop Westin Boyle made a nice play on a backhanded pick and strong throw across the diamond for an inning-ending out in the top of the fourth, preventing a runner from scoring from third base. That was the only base runner Erdman allowed to move into scoring position.
The rubber game of the season-opening series is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
