Purdue Scores 7 in the 8th for its Biggest Comeback Ever at Alexander

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – In consecutive at-bats in the eighth inning, Brandon Rogers delivered a game-tying, two-run single in his first action in over a month and Sam Flores connected for his team-leading 11th home run, punctuating a seven-run frame as Purdue Baseball rallied for an 11-9 victory vs. Indiana on Friday at Alexander Field.

The Boilermakers (33-15, 16-9) overcame deficits for 8-0 and 9-2, making it their biggest comeback ever at Alexander (since 2013). Purdue came back to win after trailing by at least five runs for the fourth time this season.

PURDUE’S BIGGEST COMEBACKS THIS SEASON
• May 8 – Won 11-9 vs. Indiana after trailing 8-0 entering bottom 4th
• March 28 – Won 16-13 at Michigan State after trailing 8-1 entering top 3rd
• Apri 5 – Won 10-5 vs. Illinois after trailing 5-0 entering bottom 1st
• Feb. 21 – Won 6-5 vs. Baylor (in Round Rock, Texas) after trailing 5-0 entering bottom 6th
• Feb. 28 – Won 11-10 vs. Marist (in Holly Springs, N.C.) after trailing 10-6 entering bottom 9th

It was the Boilermakers’ 18th victory this season in which they trailed at some point. However, entering the night, they had not trailed at the end of a full inning in a weekend game at home since April 5 (a span of 61 consecutive innings in weekend action). That streak quickly came to an end when the Hoosiers (21-28, 7-18 Big Ten) scored twice in the first inning and lefty Tony Neubeck posted five zeros over his six innings of four-hit ball. Indiana went up 8-0 after a six-run fourth inning.

The game was reminiscent of IU’s first-ever appearance at Alexander in April 2017. Purdue scored four times in the bottom of the eighth to rally for a 6-5 series-opening victory on a Friday.

The Boilermakers won their fifth straight game during their season-long seven-game homestand. They’ve won eight of their last nine at Alexander dating back to April 17 and posted their 18th home win overall this season, matching the 2008 team for the most this century.

Rogers had not played since suffering a broken left hand as part of a collision with the center field wall while making a run-saving catch in the April 3 win vs. Illinois. He had hit two grand slams during a 13-RBI week while helping lead Purdue to a trio of comeback wins the final week of March. With Rogers available again Friday, head coach Greg Goff opted to insert the senior into the game as a pinch hitter with runners on second and third and two outs in the eighth inning. Rogers worked the count to 3-1 and delivered a line drive single into left field to score Westin Boyle and Zach Zychowski to tie the game.

Flores hit the second pitch of his subsequent at-bat down the right field line for the go-ahead home run.

STREAKS EXTENDED
• Quincy Malbrough: 19-game on-base; 16-game on-base at home; 12-game on-base in Big Ten play
• CJ Richmond: 14-game on-base; 11-game on-base at home; 8-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Westin Boyle: 12-game on-base at home
• Aaron Manias: 9-game on-base; 6-game on-base at home
• Sam Flores: 9-game on-base at home; 6-game on-base overall
• Zach Zychowski: 9-game on-base at home
• Jackson Bessette: 8-game hit at home
• Jake Kramer: 15 consecutive scoreless innings at home

Avery Moore ignited the long rally with a leadoff walk and ended up reaching base safely twice in the frame after singling once the lineup rolled over. Moore singled twice, walked twice and scored twice in the win.

Aaron Manias and CJ Richmond both connected for an opposite-field double to help build the eighth-inning rally. Richmond plated a pair with his two-bagger. He also kept the inning alive by scurrying back into third base on a comebacker that loaded the bases when IU was unable to get an out on the play.

Eli Anderson followed with an RBI ground out, driving in a run without a hit for the second consecutive inning on the same night his 20-game hit streak at Alexander came to an end.

Zychowski drove in Purdue’s first three runs, delivering a two-run single to get the Boilers on the board in the bottom of the fourth. He later tripled over the center fielder’s head in the seventh inning. With Purdue down 9-2 at the time, as the third base coach Goff intended to hold Boyle at third on the long hit. Goff realized Zychowski did not pick up the hold sign as the trail runner and rather than risk a logjam and likely out with two runners at third base, Goff changed course mid-play and sent Boyle home. The freshman slid in safely on a close play at the plate. Anderson followed with a sacrifice fly.

Graham Kollen helped set the stage for the comeback with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out three. After taking the lead, Purdue had closer Jake Kramer ready to take the mound and the senior worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his eighth save of the season. Kramer remained unscored upon at Alexander this season.

Catcher Jackson Bessette aided the pitching staff by throwing out a pair of base stealers at second base.

A pinch-hit, three-run homer from Brayden Ricketts helped power IU’s six-run fourth inning. The ball hit off the end of the left fielder’s glove as he went for a leaping catch at the wall, then hit the top of the fence and bounced into the Purdue bullpen. That was the key play during a stretch in which the Hoosiers had six consecutive batters reach base safely with two outs in the frame.

UIC continues to own the largest comeback in Alexander history, defeating Purdue 10-9 in March 2022 after the Boilermakers led 9-0 entering the seventh inning.

The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.