Baseball Rallies to Win 10-Inning Thriller at NU

EVANSTON, Ill. – Purdue Baseball rallied for runs in the ninth and 10th innings to overcome a one-run deficit and Jake Kramer struck out the 4- and 5-hole hitters with the bases loaded to close out the game as the Boilermakers defeated Northwestern 3-2 Saturday.

Purdue (24-10, 11-6 Big Ten) rallied for a series-clinching win for the third consecutive weekend. The Boilermakers were victorious in their first extra-inning game of the season while posting their first extra-inning win since April 2024 at Rutgers.

SATURDAY NOTABLES
• Purdue clinched its fifth straight Big Ten series victory, which remains a program first since the 2012 Big Ten championship team won its first seven.
• The Boilermakers won their fifth straight game in Evanston dating back to a rubber game win in 2022. Purdue also clinched its seventh straight series win vs. Northwestern since 2018, extending the longest series win streak against any Big Ten rival in team history.
• The Boilermakers have won 15 of their last 20 games overall since March 10. That’s the program’s best 20-game stretch since going 16-4 from Feb. 21-March 25 last season.
• Purdue won for the second time when trailing after eight innings this season.
• Starter Zach Erdman allowed two runs (one earned) over 5 1/3 innings, surrendered two runs or fewer for a fifth time in nine starts this season. The Boilermaker bullpen backed him up with 4 2/3 scoreless innings, extending its streak of consecutive scoreless innings in Big Ten play to 17 1/3 over the last week.

Sergio DeCello scored the game-tying run in the top of the ninth after getting hit by a pitch with a 1-2 count to open the inning. Jackson Bessette (double) and Quincy Malbrough (RBI single) teamed up for consecutive two-out hits the following frame to generate the go-ahead run.

Zach Zychowski, Westin Boyle and CJ Richmond teamed up for a highlight reel 4-6-3 double play that saved a run in the bottom of the sixth. Fresh in the game after Dylan Drake was lifted due to injury, Zychowski made an excellent pick behind the second base bag on a sharply hit ball off the bat of Jay Slater that hit the mound on its way back through the box. Boyle caught the flip from Zychowski barehanded, did a 180-degree spin while stepping on the bag with his right foot and made an accurate throw all in one motion. Richmond scooped a low throw at first to complete the twin killing.

Trailing 3-2, Northwestern (13-17-1, 5-9 Big Ten) opened the bottom of the 10th with consecutive singles and then executed a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Purdue opted to intentionally walk 3-hole hitter Ryan Kucherak, who had homered off the batter’s eye in center field to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning. Kramer struck out cleanup man Jack Lausch and 5-hole hitter Noah Ruiz – both of whom had two hits on the day – consecutively to escape the jam and bring the Boilermakers pouring out of the dugout to celebrate a comeback win.

STREAKS EXTENDED
• Sam Flores: 13-game on-base; 9-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Avery Moore: 9-game on-base; 9-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Dylan Drake: 8-game on-base; 7-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Quincy Malbrough: 5-game-hit
• Joe Trenerry: 9 1/3 consecutive innings without an earned run allowed
• Bullpen: 17 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings in Big Ten play

Eli Anderson’s sacrifice bunt advanced DeCello into scoring position with one out in the ninth inning. With Zychowski at the plate, a wild pitch only bounced a few feet away from Slater behind the plate. DeCello aggressively took off for third base and it paid off when Slater threw the ball down the left field line. However, DeCello got tangled up with third baseman Owen McElfatrick and was knocked to the ground. The third base umpire ruled obstruction and awarded DeCello the additional 90 feet, allowing him to cross home plate uncontested.

After fouling off four consecutive pitches as part of a nine-pitch, Bessette connected for an opposite-field double into right center with two outs in the 10th inning. Malbrough capitalized on a 3-1 count, delivering a base hit back through the middle to plate the go-ahead run.

Avery Moore also came through with an RBI single up the middle, scoring Sam Flores in the third inning. Flores had alertly stolen second base, taking off before pitcher Matt Kouser even began his delivery after recognizing that Kouser was still frustrated by not touching first base in time while trying to complete a 3-6-1 double play moments earlier.

Northwestern pitchers issued 10 free passes (six walks, four HBP). But Purdue stranded 10 base runners through seven innings and had two more thrown out trying to steal second.

Sunday’s series finale is slated for 2 p.m. ET first pitch.