GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Purdue (22-10, 9-6 Big Ten) at Northwestern (13-15-1, 5-7 Big Ten)
April 10-12 / Stream B1G+
Series Opener: Friday, April 10 at 4 p.m. ET
Middle Game: Saturday, April 11 at 2 p.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m. ET
Rocky & Berenice Miller Park / Evanston, Illinois
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Cole Van Assen (Jr, RHP) vs. NU's Jake Rifenburg (Fr, LHP)
Saturday: Zach Erdman (Sr, LHP) vs NU's Matt Kouser (So, RHP)
Sunday: TBA for Both Teams
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Purdue leads 126-95-2
All-Time in Evanston: Purdue leads 58-50-1
2025: Purdue won 2 of 3 (May 2-3 in West Lafayette)
Last Series in Chicagoland: Purdue swept a 3-game set (April 26-28; G1 at Wrigley, G2 & G3 in Evanston)
First Meeting: Northwestern 10, Purdue 3 (May 1900 in Evanston)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Baseball rides a pair of streaks featuring series wins into the second half of the Big Ten Conference season as the Boilermakers make their biennial trip to Chicagoland for a three-game set at Northwestern.
First pitch at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park in Evanston is set for 4 p.m. ET on Friday, 2 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. Miller Park is the lone remaining stadium in the Big Ten that does not feature lights.
The Boilermakers have won four straight series in Big Ten play for the fifth time in team history (since 1981 when the league began playing four- and later three-game conference weekends). Meanwhile, Purdue has won its last six series vs. Northwestern dating back to 2018. That matches the longest series win streak against any conference rival.
The Boilermakers close out their stretch of seven consecutive games vs. teams from the Land of Lincoln this weekend. They went 3-1 vs. Illinois and Bradley during the mini four-game homestand at Alexander Field. Purdue’s seven Illinois natives – including six from Chicagoland – return to their home state this weekend. That’s a group headlined by the battery on Fridays this season – pitcher Cole Van Assen (Tinley Park) and catcher Jackson Bessette (Bartlett). Nick Kolze (Romeoville), Brandon Rogers (Chicago), Trey Swiderski (Joliet), Lucas Grant (Joliet) and Charlie Vercruysse (Bloomington) area also Illinois natives.
Purdue and Northwestern share a number of common opponents going back to both teams opening their seasons in the Houston area – the Wildcats beginning their campaign with a series at Rice while the Boilermakers were playing in suburban Sugar Land. Purdue also played Rice for its midweek opener before departing the Houston area. In recent weeks, Purdue and Northwestern both have series wins vs. Michigan State – each rallying to take the series after losing Friday – plus midweek victories vs. Valparaiso and UIC. Both lineups erupted in midweek wins this week, the Boilers scoring 13 in Tuesday vs. Bradley and the Wildcats putting up 15 in Wednesday at UIC (in seven innings).
Northwestern has played arguably the toughest Big Ten schedule thus far, drawing an undefeated USC team as its opening opponent and then playing both Oregon and Washington on the same West Coast road trip. The Wildcats were able to avoid the sweep in all three series. They also played a series at Georgia Tech, which is currently ranked top five nationally and leading the Atlantic Coast Conference. Northwestern is certainly battle tested going into its third home weekend.
WEEKEND #6 OF BIG TEN PLAY
• Purdue (9-6) at Northwestern (5-7)
• Penn State (3-9) at Ohio State (7-5)
• Nebraska (11-1) at Oregon (8-4)
• Iowa (5-7) at USC (10-5)
• Indiana (5-10) at Maryland (2-10)
• Michigan (5-7) at Michigan State (5-10)
• UCLA (15-0) at Rutgers (5-7)
• Washington (6-6) at Minnesota (3-9)
• New Orleans at Illinois (7-8) – Non-Conference
Purdue’s last trip to Northwestern featured a memorable series-opening win at Wrigley Field. All 10 of the Boilermakers hits that night were singles. After the series shifted to Evanston, Purdue erupted for nine home runs over the final two games. Last year at Alexander Field, it was the Wildcats that won the series opener thanks to a six-run seventh inning that helped them overcome a 6-1 deficit. Purdue had to stave off a pair of late rallies by NU while sweeping a Saturday doubleheader – extending their streak of series victories in the process.
Van Assen shined against Northwestern last year, working seven shutout innings in the game 2 win. He struck out six and did not issue a walk in his finest outing as a Boilermaker. Aaron Manias (4-for-9, 2B, HR, BB, 4 RBI) and CJ Richmond (5-for-12, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, 3 R) helped lead the way offensively in the series win. Richmond’s next home run will be the 30th of his NCAA career (12 coming at Purdue).
ACTIVE STREAKS
• Sam Flores – 11-game hit; 7-game hit in Big Ten play
…Flores’ 11-game hit streak: .457/.537/.739 (21-for-46), 4 2B, 3 HR, 7 BB, HBP, 19 RBI, 18 R, 3 SB
• Aaron Manias – 10-game on-base; 7-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Avery Moore – 7-game on-base; 7-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Dylan Drake – 6-game on-base; 5-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Eli Anderson – 5-game hit in Big Ten play
BOILERMAKERS AMONG THE TOP 10 IN THE BIG TEN
• Trevor Kester-Johnson – 1st in Appearances (21); Also 1st Nationally
• Aaron Manias – 2nd in OBP (.526), 3rd in HBP (10), 5th in OPS (1.145), 7th in Avg (.381)
• Sam Flores – 2nd in Hits (51), 2nd in Avg (.395), 4th in Total Bases (86), 5th in Doubles (11), 6th in RBI (38), 6th in Runs (35), 6th in SLUG (.667), 8th in OPS (1.132)
• Eli Anderson – 4th in Steals (12)
• Jake Kramer – T-5th in Saves (5), T-5th in Appearances (16)
• Westin Boyle – T-5th in Triples (2), T-5th in Sac Bunts (4)
• Dylan Drake – T-5th in Triples (2)
• Cole Van Assen – 10th in Fewest Walks per 9 Innings (2.6)
HOWARD’S 2-APPEARANCE WEEKENDS (Combined Stats)
• April 3-5 vs Illinois: Win, 6 IP, 7 H, R, 5 BB, 4 K, 106 Pitches
• March 27-29 at Michigan State: Win, 4 1/3 IP, 4 H, R, BB, K, 46 Pitches
• March 20-22 vs Penn State: 4 2/3 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 2 K, 70 Pitches
• March 13-15 at Maryland: Win, 2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 55 Pitches
• Feb. 13-15 vs Portland: Win, 3 IP, H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K, 72 Pitches
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WON 4 STRAIGHT SERIES IN BIG TEN PLAY (Since 1981, Minimum 3-Game Series) |
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Year(s) |
Consecutive Series Wins |
Overall B1G Record During Streak |
Opponents |
|
2011-12 |
8 (Last 1 of 2011, First 7 of 2012) |
19-5 |
Iowa, at Ohio St., Penn St., |
|
2012 |
7 (First 7) |
16-5 |
at Ohio St., Penn St., at N’western, Illinois, at Nebraska, Michigan St., Michigan |
|
2008 |
5 (First 5) |
16-4 |
Northwestern, at Iowa, Penn St., at Ohio St., Minnesota |
|
2011 |
4 |
9-3 |
Michigan, at Penn St., |
|
2026 |
4 |
8-4 |
at Maryland, Penn St., |
|
2001 |
4 |
13-2 |
at Michigan St., at Northwestern, Penn St., at Illinois |
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WON 3 STRAIGHT SERIES VS A BIG TEN OPPONENT (Since 1981) |
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|
Opponent |
Consecutive Series Wins |
Overall Record During Streak |
Years |
|
Northwestern |
6 |
14-4 |
2018-2025 (Active) |
|
Penn State |
6 |
15-4 |
2008-2013 |
|
Michigan State |
5 |
15-4 |
1997-2006 |
|
Minnesota |
3 |
7-3 |
2021-2025* (Active) |
|
Indiana |
3 |
7-2 |
2009-2011 |
|
*Excludes a doubleheader on the final day of 2021 season as part of a Big Ten 3-team pod weekend |
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BEST GAMES FOR THE PITCHING STAFF IN 2026 |
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Date |
Opponent |
Pitchers of Note |
Scoreless Innings |
Final Score |
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April 3 |
Illinois |
Cole Van Assen (6+ IP, H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K) |
8 |
W, 6-1 |
|
March 7 |
Oregon |
Zach Erdman (5 IP, 5 H, 0 R, BB, 7 K) |
8 |
W, 2-1 |
|
March 21 |
Penn State |
Zach Erdman (7 IP, 5 H, R, 3 BB, 0 K) |
8 |
W, 2-1 |
|
Feb. 14 |
vs Portland |
Zach Erdman (8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K) |
8 |
W, 2-1 |
|
Feb. 22 |
vs Oregon State |
Jarvis Evans (6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K) |
8 |
W, 5-2 |
|
March 24 |
Valparaiso |
Austin Klug (4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K) |
8 |
W, 3-2 |
|
March 10 |
Milwaukee |
Austin Klug (2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, K) |
8 |
W, 17-1 |
|
April 5 |
Illinois |
Thomas Howard (3.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K) |
8 |
W, 10-5 |
|
Feb. 28 (G2) |
Marist |
Austin Klug (5.2 IP, 2 H, R, BB, 6 K) |
7 |
W, 8-2 |
|
Feb. 20 |
vs Southern Miss |
Cole Van Assen (3.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, BB, 3 K) |
7 |
L, 5-4 (Walk-off) |