Dionne, Flores Homer but Purdue's Rally Comes Up a Run Short

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Jimmy Dionne connected for a pinch-hit three-run homer in his first at-bat at Alexander Field and Sam Flores hit a two-run blast in the ninth inning, but Purdue Baseball's rally came up a run short in an 8-7 loss to No. 23 Oregon on Friday in the Big Ten opener.

The Boilermakers (8-4, 0-1 Big Ten) trailed 7-1 entering the fourth inning but managed to bring the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

The game was played in front of a crowd of 1,927 on a 75-degree Friday in Greater Lafayette, setting an attendance record in the home opener at Alexander Field for the second year in a row.

Dionne barreled up for a home run into the right field bullpen with Aaron Manias and Jackson Bessette aboard in the sixth inning. Flores followed Westin Boyle's leadoff triple in the ninth with an opposite-field shot to left center. Flores also connected for a double off the wall in right center for Purdue's first extra-base hit of the game.

Graham Kollen (2 2/3 IP, 2 H, R, 0 BB, 4 K) and Noah Filer (1-2-3 ninth) teamed up for 3 2/3 innings of one-hit relief as the Boilermakers posted five zeros over the final six innings.

A two-out grand slam from Burke-Lee Mabeus batting in the in the 8-hole was the big blow in Oregon’s five-run third inning. And a solo homer from 9-hole hitter Jack Brooks in the eighth inning proved to be the game-deciding run.

STREAKS EXTENDED
• Brandon Rogers: 7-game on-base; 6-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Dylan Drake: 6-game on-base
• Westin Boyle: 5-game hit
• Sam Flores: 5-game hit

The Ducks’ three pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts, a total believed to be the most against a Purdue lineup since Penn State also had 17 in May 1998. A passed ball on strike three to Flores in the sixth inning led to a rare four-strikeout frame. The Boilermakers made eight consecutive outs via the strikeout from the fifth through seventh innings and had two more Ks in a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth.

Purdue also tied its season high with 11 strikeouts on the mound. Starter Cole Van Assen fanned six over 5 1/3 innings. He retired seven of eight after the grand slam by Mabeus. Van Assen gave up multiple extra-base hits in an outing for the first time this season and the slam was the first home run he allowed in 2026.

Manias singled twice, walked and scored on Dionne’s home run. Manias’ two-out single in the ninth inning extended the game and brought Dylan Drake to the plate as the go-ahead run. The game ended when first baseman Gabe Miranda snared a line drive with game-tying extra-base hit potential had it made it through the infield.

CJ Richmond walked and singled in his first two plate appearances to lead off the second and fourth innings. That helped Purdue load the bases and score in both frames – Richmond coming home on a sacrifice fly from Bessette and bases-loaded walk to Brandon Rogers. But Purdue stranded a combined five base runners across the two innings. Bessette’s sac fly with the bases loaded was to the warning track in right field.

The Boilermakers dropped their Big Ten opener for the first time since 2016, snapping an eight-game win streak. Purdue also lost its home opener for the first time since 2021, a game that featured – similar to Dionne’s big moment Friday – a ninth-inning grand slam from Cam Thompson in his first at-bat at Alexander Field.

Dionne’s long ball was the first pinch-hit homer by a Boilermaker since Keenan Spence connected off the bench in a home win vs. Northwestern in May of last season. Purdue went 145 games without a pinch-hit homer prior to Spence’s blast.

The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.