WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Boilers hit the road this weekend, heading to Nashville, Tenn., for the 2026 Purple and Gold Challenge from Feb. 27-Mar. 1.
The Boilermakers will face three opponents over the three-day event, matching up with Southern Illinois, Western Carolina, and host, Lipscomb.
Purdue opens play on Friday, Feb. 27, with a doubleheader, taking on Southern Illinois at 1:30 p.m. ET before a matchup against Lipscomb at 6:30 p.m. The Boilers return to action Saturday, Feb. 28, for another pair of games, meeting Southern Illinois at 11:00 a.m. and Lipscomb again at 4:00 p.m. The weekend concludes Sunday with a sole game against Western Carolina at 12:00 p.m. est.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 27 - Purdue vs. Southern Illinois – 1:30 p.m. ET
Friday, Feb. 27 - Purdue at Lipscomb – 6:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, Feb. 28 - Purdue vs. Southern Illinois – 11:00 a.m. ET
Saturday, Feb. 28 - Purdue at Lipscomb – 4:00 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Sunday, Mar. 1 - Purdue vs Western Carolina – 12:00 p.m. ET
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Southern Illinois comes into the weekend at 8–7 after a strong start to the season. The Salukis opened 5–0 at the FGCU Kickoff Classic with wins over Charlotte, Florida Gulf Coast, Ball State, and Long Island. They followed with a 2–3 showing at the Puerto Vallarta Challenge, highlighted by a 22-7 win over Eastern Kentucky, before going 1–4 at the UAB Green and Gold Classic.
SIU is coming off a 33 win season in 2025 and returns much of its core from a team that finished near the top of the Missouri Valley Conference.
Lipscomb enters the weekend at 4–9, hosting its first tournament of the season. The Bison went 2–3 at the Southern Miss Tournament, earning wins over UAB and Southeast Missouri State while dropping close games to Louisiana Tech and Southern Miss. Lipscomb followed with a 2–2 showing at the Furman Tournament, picking up victories over Towson and host, Furman.
Most recently, the Bisons competed at the Clemson Tournament, facing a challenging field that included Baylor, Clemson, and Coastal Carolina. Lipscomb is coming off a 25 win season in 2025 and returns several key contributors from the team.
Western Carolina enters the weekend at 7–2, riding a four-game winning streak after a strong start to the 2026 season. The Catamounts opened with a doubleheader sweep of N.C. A&T and went 3–2 at the Low Country Classic, earning wins over Penn, College of Charleston, and UConn. WCU then added two more victories in a midweek doubleheader against Winthrop.
SERIES HISTORY
Purdue and Southern Illinois have met 10 times in program history, with the series tied 5-5. The teams last met in 2025, when Southern Illinois took both games in Carbondale in extra innings. Purdue’s most recent win in the series came in 2024 with a 13–6 victory in Conway, Ark.
Purdue and Lipscomb have never met prior to this weekend, making Friday’s matchup in Nashville the first meeting between the two programs.
This weekend will also mark Purdue’s first matchup against Western Carolina.
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