WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Northern Illinois University baseball team scored at least five runs for the eighth time in 10 games Wednesday, but the Purdue Boilermakers used a five-run fourth inning and five-run seventh inning at Alexander Field against the Purdue Boilermakers.
Purdue (9-7) got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning. Jake Parr reached base on a single with one out. Connor Caskenette then was hit by a
Conner Lutes (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) pitch. Evan Albrecht then cleared the bases with a two-run double down the left field line, advancing to third on a throw home by
Parker Shupe (Johnston, Iowa/Kirkwood CC). Mike Bolton Jr. followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Albrecht and make the score 3-0. After a walk to Couper Cornblum, Paul Toetz doubled to right center to score Cornblum and put Purdue up 4-0.
NIU (3-13) put a run on the board in the top of the fourth.
Aaron Harper (Hemet, Calif./Mt. San Jacinto College) hit a double to left field with one out. Collin Summerhill (Chicago, Ill./Troy) followed with a single to centerfield to give the Huskies runners at the corners. First Baseman
Andrew Smart (Evanston, Ill./Oakton CC) hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Harper and make the score 4-1.
The Boilermakers scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth to go up 9-1. Toetz had a two-run single to make the score 6-1. With the bases loaded and two outs Parr hit a three-run double to right center to give Purdue an eight-run advantage.
The Huskies loaded the bases in the top of the sixth on a
Malik Peters (Calumet City, Ill./Mount Carmel) single and walks to
Eric Erato (Sussex, Wis./Sussex Hamilton) and
Andre Demetral (Rochester, Mich./Florence Darling Tech). A wild pitch from Purdue reliever Logan Danzeisen scored Peters and made the score 9-2. Harper then hit a single through the left side of the infield to bring in Erato and put the score at 9-3. Carter Doorn then entered the game from the Purdue bullpen and got a strikeout for the first out. An error by Albrect the shortstop allowed Demetral to score and get the Huskies within five, 9-4.
Brandon Johnson then hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to bring in Harper and make the score 9-5. Doorn got a pop out to end the NIU threat.
Purdue answered NIU's four runs in the sixth with five in the seventh. A Jake Jarvis grand slam with two outs in the inning put the Boilermakers up 14-5. The Huskies loaded the bases in the ninth on a walk to Erato and singles from
Brandon Johnson (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Twp.) and
Jake Nelson (Altoona, Wis./Madison College), but were unable to score.
"We need to be better on the mound and work to limit damage," said head coach
Mike Kunigonis. "We battled back offensively and were back in it until we gave up that big inning in the seventh."
Harper had two hits in the game with a double and a run batted in. Smart drove in two runs. Erato was 1-for-3 with a stolen base and two walks.
Nick Bonk (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson),
Jackson Stewart (Urbandale, Iowa/Des Moines Area CC) and D.J. Hess (Germantown, Wis./College of Lake County) combined to throw 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.
NIU wraps up its season-opening road trip this weekend with a three-game series at Miami. The schedule for the weekend has been altered, with the Huskies and RedHawks playing a doubleheader on Friday, March 17 starting at 10 a.m. CT.
—NIU—
