Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Purdue
Big Sixth Inning Gives Purdue Doubleheader Split
3/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 29, 2008
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -
Eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning allowed Purdue to break open a tie game en route to a 10-2 win and a doubleheader split Saturday afternoon at Lambert Field.
Purdue (9-12, 2-1) was the first to tally, scoring an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Brandon Haveman drew a lead-off walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and then came around to score following a Ryne White single and an ensuing error.
Northwestern (5-11, 1-2) claimed the lead in the top of the third inning as it pushed across a pair of runs against Boilermakers starter Allan Donato. Chad Noble was able to reach second on an error to open the inning. Jim Grieco's perfectly placed sacrifice bunt turned into a single, giving the Wildcats runners on the corners. Following a walk to Aaron Newman that loaded the bases, Jake Owens continued his big day by collecting his second hit of the contest on a single to right that scored two.
Each team worked out of trouble in the ensuing two half-innings. Purdue had runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the third, but Matt Havey fanned Jordan Comadena to maintain NU's one-run advantage.
The Wildcats nearly cashed in on a two-out rally in the top of the fourth as a single by Chad Noble sandwiched walks to Matt Gailey and Grieco. Newman was then robbed of driving in likely two runs when White made a diving stop at first and was able to flip to Donato just in time to retire Newman.
Havey was able to strand two more baserunners in the fourth, but wasn't as fortunate in the fifth. Following a single and a walk to open the inning, a groundout advanced both runners into scoring position. The Wildcats then intentionally walked Jordan Comadena to load the bases, but the move didn't work out as a third walk in the inning to Dan Black brought home a run to tie the game.
Gailey, who had been the designated hitter in the game up to that point, then entered the game on the mound in relief. The freshman left-hander did a magnificent job to keep the game tied, striking out pinch hitter John Cummins and then getting a pop-out in foul territory by Jon Moore.
The Boilermakers got the eventual winning runs in the bottom of the sixth. Eric Nielsen led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a sac bunt and scored on a single by Brandon Haveman. Purdue got insurance runs on RBI singles by Ben Wolgamot, White, Cummins and Nick Overmyer and a three-run double by Nielsen.
After managing just four hits through the first five innings, the Boilers collected seven in the sixth. Purdue finished with an 11-6 advantage in the hit column, let by three hits apiece by Nielsen and Haveman. Owens paced Northwestern with a pair of hits.
The teams wrap up their four-game series Sunday with a single contest beginning at noon Central time.
