Texas Tour Continues at Rice as Purdue's First-Ever February Midweek Game

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Purdue (2-1, 31-23 in 2025) at Rice (2-1, 17-40 in 2025)
Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET / ESPN+
Reckling Park / Houston, Texas
Probable Starting Pitchers: Austin Klug (Sr, RHP) vs. Jeremiah Arnett (Jr, RHP)

SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Rice leads 4-1
Last Meetings: #11 Rice swept a 3-game series (February 2014 in Houston)
Last Midweek Matchup: #8 Rice 9, Purdue 1 (March 2005 in Houston)
First Meeting: Purdue 5, #1 Rice 2 (Purdue’s 2001 Season Opener, Feb. 16 in Houston)

SUGAR LAND, Texas – Purdue Baseball continues its season-opening tour of Texas with the program’s first-ever February midweek game, visiting Rice for the first time in 12 years.

First pitch at Reckling Park in Houston is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The Boilermakers practiced at Reckling Park in February 2025 in advance of their season-opening series in Sugar Land and again Tuesday morning.

Purdue and Rice both won two of three during their season-opening weekends. The Boilermakers improved to 19-3 at Constellation Field in Sugar Land since 2022, winning in comeback fashion Saturday and Sunday to take the series vs. Portland. The Owls won a pair of one-run games to sweep a season-opening doubleheader vs. Northwestern on Friday. The Wildcats erupted for 17 runs over seven innings to salvage the series finale.

Rice hosts Louisiana on Tuesday evening in its midweek opener.

The Boilermakers rallied back to win their season-opening weekend after losing on Opening Day for the first time since 2003,

Purdue went 7-3 in midweek action last season. But the Boilers have struggled in true road games in recent years, compiling a 24-42 mark in such games since the start of the 2022 campaign.

One of the Boilers’ biggest road wins in program history was at Rice in mid-February of 2001. On the opening night of the Rice Classic, Purdue upset the No. 1-ranked Owls. The Feb. 16 game in Houston was the Boilers’ season opener and game No. 9 of the campaign for Rice. The Owls have won the last four meetings since, including a midweek matchup on Purdue’s 2005 spring break trip and sweeping a three-game set during weekend No. 2 of the 2014 campaign.

Pitcher Zach Erdman won’t get the ball again until this weekend at the Round Rock Classic in the Austin area. But the native Texan made quite the first impression with his eight shutout innings in Saturday’s win. He was the only starting pitcher in the nation to work eight innings during the opening weekend. Erdman’s game score of 83 from his gem (8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K) was good for second nationally, behind only Lamar’s Chris Oliver (6 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 14 K, game score 86). Erdman lost out on Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors after USC’s Grant Govel struck out 10 over six no-hit innings (game score 81).

Rice made seven College World Series appearances from 1997-2008, winning the national title in 2003. The Owls’ streak of 23 consecutive NCAA Regional appearances came to an end in 2018 and the program has not been back to the NCAA Tournament since. Former Texas, Tulane and Sam Houston State head coach David Pearce was hired on St. Patrick’s Day last year after a midseason coaching change amidst a 2-14 start. Pearce served as an assistant under legendary Rice coach Wayne Graham from 2003-11.

Purdue head coach Greg Goff coached against Rice during both of his seasons at Louisiana Tech (2015-16), matching up twice in the semifinal round of the 2016 C-USA Tournament. The Owls now compete in the American Athletic Conference. The Boilermakers have not played a current AAC member since squaring off against East Carolina and future MLB World Series starting pitcher Trey Yesavage (Toronto Blue Jays) at the Keith LeClair Classic in March 2024.

EARLIEST MIDWEEK OPENERS
In many years from 1979-1994, Purdue would open its season with a spring break trip during the first week of March, playing daily during the trip
• 2026: Feb. 18 at Rice
• 2022: March 2 at Charlotte (W, 6-2)
• 2025: March 4 at Indiana State (W, 14-4)
• 2024: March 5 at Notre Dame (L, 11-2)
• 2011: March 8 at #20 Louisville (W, 6-4)

PURDUE’S LONGEST HIT STREAKS (Since 2001)
20+ Games • Ryne White – 24 in 2007 • Cameron Perkins – 20 in 2011 • Brandon Haveman – 20 in 2009 15-19 Games • David Blomberg – 19 in 2001 • Connor Caskenette – 18 in 2023 • Eli Anderson – 15 in 2025-26 (Active) • Zac Fascia – 15 in 2019 • Eric Charles – 15 in 2011	14 Games • Skyler Hunter – 14 in 2019 • Eric Charles – 14 in 2009 • Jon Moore – 14 in 2008 • Ryne White – 14 in 2008 • Jordan Comadena – 14 in 2007 • John Hunter – 14 in 2007 • Nate Sickler – 14 in 2001 • Adam Fazio – 14 in 2002

 

TRUE FRESHMEN TO START A SEASON OPENER (Since 2001)
Season	Boilermaker	Position	Opponent	4-Year Starter?
2026	Westin Boyle	SS	vs Portland	TBD
2018	Ben Nisle	RF	vs Western Michigan	Yes
2016	Jacson McGowan	3B	at Georgia Tech	No – Drafted after Junior Year
2016	Nick Dalesandro	LF	at Georgia Tech	No – Drafted after Junior Year
2015	Harry Shipley	SS	at Western Carolina	Yes
2013	Jack Picchiotti	C	vs Connecticut	Yes
2013	Kyle Johnson	RF	vs Connecticut	Yes
2013	Josh Estill	DH	vs Connecticut	No
2010	Cameron Perkins	1B	vs Villanova	No – Drafted after Junior Year
2010	Kevin Plawecki	C	vs Villanova	No – Drafted after Junior Year
2009	Tyler Spillner	DH	vs Cincinnati	Yes
2004	Eric Osborn	2B	at Belmont	Yes
2003	Eric Wolfe	1B	vs Pitt	Yes
2001	Mitch Koester	3B	at Rice	No

 

4-HIT GAMES BY PURDUE FRESHMEN (Since 2001)
Date	Boilermaker	Full Line	Opponent
2/15/2026	Westin Boyle	4-for-4, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 R	vs Portland (Sugar Land, Texas)
4/26/2024	Luke Gaffney*	4-for-5, 3 RBI, 2 R	at Northwestern (Wrigley Field)
2/17/2024	Luke Gaffney*	4-for-5, 2 2B, 4 R	vs Stony Brook (Sugar Land, Texas)
6/02/2018	Ben Nisle	4-for-5, 2B, 4 RBI, R	vs North Carolina A&T (NCAA Regional in Chapel Hill, N.C.)
4/07/2017	Mike Madej	4-for-4, RBI	Indiana
3/16/2017	Mike Madej	4-for-5, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, 4 R	at Santa Clara
3/09/2013	Jack Picchiotti	4-for-6, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R	at UIC
3/26/2010	Cameron Perkins	4-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, R	Chicago State
5/16/2009	Eric Charles*	4-for-5, 2 2B, 4 R	Illinois
4/22/2009	Barrett Serrato	4-for-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R	Butler
4/16/2006	Ryne White	4-for-5, 2 HR, BB, 5 RBI, 3 R	at Indiana
3/20/2004	Mitch Hilligoss	5-for-6, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R	at Jacksonville State
4/20/2003	John Hunter	4-for-4, 2 2B, 7 RBI, 2 R	at Iowa
*Redshirt Freshman

 

8+ SHUTOUT INNINGS IN AN OUTING (Since 2001)
Date	Pitcher	Opponent	Scoreless Innings	Game Result
2/14/2026	Zach Erdman	vs Portland	8	W, 2-1
4/09/2022	Jackson Smeltz	Indiana	8	W, 17-0
4/25/2021	Cory Brooks	Illinois	8	L, 1-0
4/22/2017	Gareth Stroh	Illinois	8 2/3	W, 4-1
3/03/2017	Tanner Andrews	at SE Missouri	9	W, 5-0
5/20/2016	Matt Frawley	Cal State Northridge	8 1/3	W, 1-0 (10)
5/19/2016	Gavin Downs	Cal State Northridge	9	W, 5-0
4/22/2015	Shane Bryant	Ball State	8	W, 6-0
5/11/2012	Joe Haase	Michigan	9	W, 4-0
4/06/2012	Joe Haase	at Northwestern	9	W, 7-0
3/31/2012	Lance Breedlove	Penn State	9	W, 2-0
3/24/2012	Lance Breedlove	at Ohio State	8 2/3	W, 8-1
4/02/2011	Joe Haase	at Minnesota	9	W, 7-0
3/04/2011	Matt Morgan	at Lipscomb	9	W, 1-0
4/24/2010	Matt Bischoff	Northwestern	8	W, 2-1
3/12/2010	Matt Bischoff	Le Moyne	8	W, 3-0
3/15/2009	Matt Morgan	vs Purdue Fort Wayne	8 2/3	L, 1-0
3/14/2009	Matt Jansen	at Evansville	8 2/3	W, 3-1
4/18/2007	Matt Bischoff	at Notre Dame	9	L, 1-0
3/24/2007	Ricky Heines	at Western Illinois	9	W, 7-0
2/24/2007	Ricky Heines	at Georgia	9	W, 5-0
5/19/2006	Dan Sattler	Northwestern	8	W, 11-3
4/21/2006	Andrew Groves*	Michigan	8	L, 4-3
3/10/2006	Jay Buente	at Missouri	8	W, 7-0
5/20/2005	Scott Byrnes	at Indiana	8 1/3	W, 5-1
4/23/2004	Scott Byrnes	Michigan State	8 1/3	W, 3-2
3/24/2002	Mitch Pruemer	at Miami (Ohio)	9	W, 8-0
3/17/2002	Mitch Pruemer	at Coastal Carolina	9	W, 4-0
*Relief Outing

 

WALK-OFF WINS UNDER GREG GOFF (Since 2020)
Date	Opponent	Location	Score (Innings)	GW RBI	GW Run
2/14/2026	Portland	Sugar Land, Texas	2-1 (9)	Aaron Manias	Zach Zychowski
5/16/2025	Nebraska	Alexander Field	5-4 (9)	Brandon Anderson (HR)	Brandon Anderson
4/14/2025	Arizona State	Alexander Field	8-6 (9)	CJ Richmond (HR)	Keenan Spence
3/16/2024	Samford	Alexander Field	13-12 (10)	Ty Gill	Jo Stevens
5/07/2023	South Dakota St.	Alexander Field	3-2 (9)	Jake Parr	Couper Cornblum
4/02/2023	Northwestern	Alexander Field	4-3 (10)	Lukas Cook (HR)	Lukas Cook
2/24/2023	NJIT	Holly Springs, N.C.	6-5 (9)	Jake Parr	Paul Toetz
4/26/2022	Valparaiso	Alexander Field	6-5 (10)	Troy Viola	Jack Firestone
3/20/2022	Illinois State	Alexander Field	7-6 (10)	Evan Albrecht	Troy Viola
3/06/2022	Longwood	Holly Springs, N.C.	6-5 (11)	Cam Thompson (HR)	Cam Thompson
3/05/2022	Longwood	Holly Springs, N.C.	6-5 (13)	Jake Stadler	Jake Jarvis
2/26/2022	Princeton (G2)	Holly Springs, N.C.	5-4 (9)	Cam Thompson	Curtis Washington Jr.
2/26/2022	Princeton (G1)	Holly Springs, N.C.	4-3 (9)	CJ Valdez	Curtis Washington Jr.
3/27/2021	Rutgers	Alexander Field	7-4 (9)	Mason Gavre (HR)	Ben Nisle
4/18/2021	Michigan State	Champaign, Ill.	2-1 (11)	Evan Albrecht	Ben Nisle
3/05/2021	Nebraska	Round Rock, Texas	6-5 (9)	Zac Fascia	Ben Nisle