HOUSTON – Purdue Baseball managed multiple base runners in just two innings and did not record an extra-base hit, falling 5-2 at Rice on Wednesday in the Boilermakers’ first-ever February midweek game.
The Owls (3-2) scored all five of their runs in the middle innings and kept the visitors off the scoreboard until the top of the seventh.
Purdue (2-2) was limited to two runs on six hits (all singles) for the second time in four games this season. The Boilermakers managed to win 2-1 Saturday with the same line score. Last year, Purdue was held without an extra-base hit only twice, but both occasions were over the first six games of the campaign – winning both.
Starting pitcher Austin Klug (1-1) opened the game with three consecutive zeros before allowing a leadoff home run to in the bottom of the fourth. He did not issue a walk over 4 1/3 innings of two-run ball, his longest outing as a Boilermaker.
Down 5-0 entering the seventh inning, Purdue loaded the bases with one out and brought the tying run to the plate after Jimmy Dionne delivered a pinch-hit RBI single for his first hit as a Boilermaker. Sergio DeCello had scored on a passed ball moments earlier.
Eli Anderson singled up the middle with two outs in the third inning to extend his hit streak to 16 consecutive games dating back to April 2025. It’s the sixth longest hit streak by a Purdue player on record (since 2001). The Boilermakers loaded the bases in the frame but were unable to cash in against starter Jeremiah Arnett (2-0), who pitched into the seventh inning while limiting Purdue to four hits.
The top third of the Rice lineup was a combined 6-for-13 with four extra-base hits and three RBI. Cole Green opened the scoring with the home run in the fourth inning and Colin Robson connected for a two-run shot on the first pitch after the Boilermakers went to the bullpen with one out the following frame.
A timely 5-4-3 inning-ending double play with runners on the corners in the bottom of the fifth was Purdue’s top moment of the night. Trevor Kester-Johnson induced the ground ball from the Rice cleanup hitter with the first pitch he threw in the game. Sam Flores made a lunging play at third base to start the around-the-horn twin killing, teaming up with second baseman Dylan Drake.
Klug worked a 1-2-3 third inning to cap a stretch in which he retired eight of nine batters. He induced a 6-4-3 double play turned by Westin Boyle and Drake the following frame. Joe Trenerry struck out a pair while working a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth in his lone inning.
The Boilermakers are back in action Friday for the opening game of the Round Rock Classic at Dell Diamond, a Triple-A ballpark north of Austin. Purdue takes on No. 20 Southern Miss at 3 p.m. ET. Baylor and Oregon State are the other two teams at the three-day round-robin event. All games at the Round Rock Classic will be streamed live (PPV) on D1Basebal.com.
