Pitching Shines as Baseball Wins 2-1 to Even Series with Oregon

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Zach Erdman delivered his second shutout performance of the season and Aaron Manias provided the offense with a two-run single as Purdue Baseball won a 2-1 pitcher’s duel vs. No. 23 Oregon on Saturday at Alexander Field to even the Big Ten Conference series.

The Boilermakers (9-4, 1-1 Big Ten) posted their second win of the season against a nationally ranked opponent. They were also victorious in 2-1 fashion behind a strong outing from Erdman for the second time this year. The lefty matched his collegiate career high with seven strikeouts and has now fanned 14 over 13 innings of shutout ball in those 2-1 wins, both coming against teams from the state of Oregon.

Manias also delivered the game-winning, two-run single in the 2-1 win on Valentine’s Day vs. Portland.

In his Alexander Field debut, Jake Kramer closed out the victory by striking out the Ducks’ 3-hole and cleanup hitters with the tying run aboard. Kramer’s performance punctuated a day in which the Purdue bullpen delivered 12 outs to back up Erdman.

The Boilermakers had a season-high 11 strikeouts on the mound for the third game in a row. Those strikeouts helped Purdue strand 12 base runners on a day in which the home team did not enjoy a true 1-2-3 inning.

Erdman struck out two batters in three consecutive innings. He issued only one walk and it did not come until there were two outs with the bases empty in the top of the fifth. Head coach Greg Goff went to the mound after Erdman threw ball one to the next batter, ultimately opting to leave Erdman in the game. The senior responded by winning a lefty-lefty matchup vs. Oregon’s 5-hole hitter to finish his outing.

On a day in which the teams were a combined 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position, Manias delivered the big hit with runners on second and third with one out in the third inning. Brandon Rogers and Ross Highfill scored on the play after opening the frame with a base hit and two-strike hit by pitch. Westin Boyle advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt.

In his second start of the season in the field, Manias also made a key diving catch in left field in the second inning. It helped Erdman put a zero on the board in a frame that featured both leadoff and two-out singles.

In yet another successful long relief appearance, Thomas Howard was on the mound for seven of the 12 outs recorded by the Purdue bullpen. He induced a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Oregon’s 3-hole hitter to erase a leadoff single in the seventh inning. The previous frame, Howard retired three in a row to work around a leadoff single and a walk. Gabe Miranda’s leadoff home run in in the top of the eighth accounted for the first run Howard has allowed this season in five appearances.

Joe Trenerry retired three consecutive batters for the Boilermakers while accounting for the final two outs of the eighth inning and the key first out of the ninth.

Purdue won the game in spite of a complete-game performance from Oregon (11-3, 1-1 Big Ten) starter Collin Clarke, who struck out nine and did not issue a walk while throwing 109 pitches over his eight innings.

The Boilermakers improved to 5-0 on Saturdays this season, with four of those wins coming in one-run affairs. Purdue is now 4-2 in one-run games overall. This weekend marks the first time the Boilers have played in consecutive one-run games in a Big Ten series since sweeping a doubleheader vs. Penn State at Alexander Field on April 15, 2023.

Sunday’s rubber game of the series is set for a noon ET first pitch.

STREAKS EXTENDED
• Brandon Rogers: 8-game on-base; 7-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Dylan Drake: 7-game on-base (on a two-out triple in the 6th inning)