Purdue Hits 2 Grand Slams, Scores 15 Unanswered

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Grand Slams from Avery Moore and CJ Richmond helped power a surge of 15 unanswered runs as Purdue Baseball overcame an early eight-run inning to defeat Michigan State 16-13 Saturday.

The Boilermakers (18-8, 6-5 Big Ten) trailed 8-1 entering the third inning but had the lead back by the top of the fifth when Moore connected for his grand slam. Richmond hit his slam in a six-run eighth inning that proved much more significant after MSU (9-16, 4-7 Big Ten) awoke for a five-spot in the bottom of the ninth.

Both teams pounded out 16 hits and there were a combined seven errors in the game. The Spartans also hit a grand slam in their eight-run inning.

SATURDAY NOTABLES
• Purdue has posted a double-figure run total in a game seven times this month, scoring 18 runs twice, 16 twice and 17 once.
• The Boilermakers have won twice this week when the opposition scored 13 runs. Entering the week, Purdue’s last win when conceding at least a baker’s dozen worth of runs was in April 2022 vs. Indiana (16-15).
• The Boilermakers won a game when the opposition scored at least eight runs in a frame for the first time since a 10-inning home victory vs. Samford (13-12) in March 2024.
• Purdue hit multiple grand slams in a game for the first time in the BBCOR bat era (since 2011) and quite likely this century. The Boilers have hit multiple grand slams in a Big Ten series for the first time since May 2021 at Minnesota.
• With Brandon Rogers hitting a grand slam in the first inning of Wednesday’s win, Purdue has three grand slams in a week for the first time in the BBCOR bat era. Sergio DeCello and Dylan Drake have also hit grand slams this season and the five total have already matched last year’s total for the Boilermakers’ most since the bats changed.
• Avery Moore’s grand slam was his first regular-season home run at Purdue. He also hit a grand slam in a fall ball game at Cincinnati in September. Drake’s first homer as a Boilermaker earlier this month was also a grand slam in a comeback win at Maryland.

SATURDAY’S TOP PERFORMERS
• Jacob Boland: 5 2/3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 6 K
• Sam Flores: 4-for-6, 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R
• Avery Moore: 3-for-5, HR, 5 RBI, R
• CJ Richmond: 2-for-4, 2B, HR, HBP, 4 RBI, 3 R
• Dylan Drake: 3-for-5, 2B, HR, BB, RBI, 3 R
• Aaron Manias: 2-for-3, HBP, RBI, 2 R, Sac Fly

STREAKS EXTENDED
• Brandon Rogers: 19-game on-base; 8-game hit; 15-game on base in Big Ten play (Since April 27, 2025); 5-game hit in Big Ten play
• Sam Flores: 5-game hit
• Aaron Manias: 5-game on-base

Jacob Boland was Purdue’s MVP on Saturday, working 5 2/3 innings of scoreless relief after being pressed into action with one out in the second inning. The sophomore retired the first six batters he faced and racked up six strikeouts vs. three hits allowed. Boland has worked 15 1/3 innings of one-run ball over his last six appearances dating back to March 10.

When Purdue finally went back to the bullpen following the long rally in the top of the eighth, a seven-run deficit had flipped to an eight-run lead. Trevor Kester-Johnson struck out a pair in a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth vs. the top of MSU’s lineup, posting the Boilers’ sixth consecutive zero. Jake Kramer cleaned up an otherwise messy ninth inning, finishing the game with a strikeout with the potential tying run at the plate. Kramer earned his fifth save of the season.

Purdue scored in four consecutive frames following MSU’s big inning, quickly getting off the deck and back in the game after seeing the snowman go up on the scoreboard. The leadoff man reached base safely to open all four innings. As part of his four-hit game, Sam Flores connected for an RBI double high off the wall in right center in the third inning and delivered an RBI single in front of Moore’s grand slam in the top of the fifth.

Dylan Drake hit the first of the Boilers’ three home runs, going deep into the Red Cedar River past the right field wall as the second batter of the game after seeing his 10-game hit streak snapped Friday. Drake also doubled to open the fifth inning and singled to lead off the top of the eighth.

Brandon Rogers extended his multiple streaks with an opposite-field RBI double in the fifth inning. He also made the top defensive play of the game, robbing a likely double while crashing into the wall in left center for the first out of the second inning. That play came moments after CJ Deckinga’s grand slam.

Flores joined Westin Boyle and Eli Anderson as Boilermakers with a four-hit game this season. Moore joined Sergio DeCello and Rogers as Boilermakers with at least five RBI in a game this year.

Sunday’s rubber game of the series is set for 1 p.m. ET.