Big Inning Burns Baseball as PSU Staves Off Sweep

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Baseball did not go quietly after Penn State erupted for an 11-run second inning, pulling within three runs in the eighth inning before the Nittany Lions closed out a 14-9 victory to prevent a series sweep Sunday at Alexander Field.

Penn State (6-15, 2-4 Big Ten) was also the last opponent to post a 10-run inning against the Boilermakers (15-7, 5-4 Big Ten), enjoying a 12-run sixth inning in a series-opening win at Alexander Field in April 2023.

Purdue lost its third consecutive Sunday series finale in Big Ten play, surrendering a combined 39 runs in those defeats.

Sam Flores connected for a three-run homer in the first inning, his team leading sixth of the season. It was the Boilers’ ninth consecutive game with a home run.

But the 3-1 lead was short lived as the Nittany Lions sent 14 men to the plate in the top of the second – the first 12 contributing a productive plate appearance. Six of their nine hits in the frame went for extra bases, including three triples and a pair of home runs. Bryce Molinaro ignited the rally with a leadoff triple; he homered in his second at-bat of the frame.

With the bases loaded as the fourth batter of the frame, Joey DeMucci tripled over the head of center fielder Brandon Rogers for the first of five run-scoring hits. Rogers had nearly caught Molinaro’s inning-opening triple but lost control of the ball when he crashed into the center field wall trying to make another spectacular catch.

Purdue used four pitchers in the second inning and the first three all failed to record an out. Michael Anderson’s three-run homer was another big blow in the frame, giving the visitors an 8-3 lead.

Jacob Boland finally brought the inning to a close and went on to work 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball in his finest outing as a Boilermaker. Boland and Thomas Howard teamed up to put six consecutive zeros on the board for Purdue.

Jackson Bessette’s two-run double helped the Boilermakers cash in on a bases-loaded opportunity in the fifth inning. Dylan Drake followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 12-7.

Purdue had the potential tying run in the on-deck circle in the eighth inning. Quincy Malbrough, Eli Anderson and Sam Flores teamed up for three consecutive singles. Aaron Manias followed with a sacrifice fly to cut PSU’s lead to 12-9. But the Boilermakers did not record another hit the rest of the game and PSU took advantage of a pair of errors to get the two runs back in the top of the ninth.

Boland induced a 6-4-3 double play ball to erase a leadoff walk in his first full inning of work. The Boilermakers turned seven twin killings in the series, with Drake contributing to all seven as the second baseman.

The home team has won the last five Purdue-Penn State series dating back to 2019.

Purdue closes out its six-game homestand with a pair of midweek games this week, hosting Valparaiso on Tuesday and UIC on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. each day.

STREAKS EXTENDED
• Westin Boyle: 9-game on-base; 7-game on-base in Big Ten play; 6-game on-base at home
• Dylan Drake: 8-game hit (5 straight 2-hit games); 6-game hit in Big Ten play; 5-game hit at home; 5 straight games with an RBI
• Ali Banks: 7-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Eli Anderson: 5 consecutive games with multiple hits
• Jimmy Dionne: 6-game hit at home
• Jackson Bessette: 6-game on-base at home
• Purdue has hit a home run in 9 consecutive games

SERIES LEADERS AT THE PLATE
• Dylan Drake: 6-for-11, 3 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, HBP, Sac Fly, 2 R
• Eli Anderson: 7-for-14, 2B, RBI, 4 R, SB
• Aaron Manias: 4-for-9, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB, Sac Fly, 4 R
• Sam Flores: 4-for-13, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, BB, 3 R
• Ali Banks: 3-for-10, HR< 4 RBI, HBP, 3 R, 2 SB