Purdue wins series at Evansville with Saturday split

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WLFI) - Jordan Minch worked six shutout innings and Kyle Wood and Conner Hudnall each delivered a big two-run extra-base hit, leading Purdue baseball to a 4-1 victory in game one of a doubleheader split Saturday afternoon at Evansville that clinched a series victory for the Boilers.

The Purple Aces (7-11) posted season-high totals for runs and hits (20) to win the nightcap of the twinbill, 15-1.

Purdue (7-11) won a pair of close games in the series to finish its spring break trip with a 4-3 record. The Boilermakers had won four of their last five games before dropping the finale of the trip.

Having played their first 18 games away from the Purdue campus, the Boilers finally get a chance to open their home schedule Tuesday against Illinois-Chicago. The program’s new stadium Alexander Field will premiere with five consecutive home games. Tuesday’s game versus UIC is slated for 6 p.m.

The starting pitchers dominated the first game Saturday. Minch (2-2) surrendered only two infield hits while striking out a season-high seven over six innings. He retired 12 consecutive batters from the first through fifth innings, striking out the side in order in the bottom of the second.

Evansville’s Kyle Lloyd (2-2) walked the first batter of the game but did not allow another baserunner until the sixth inning, retiring 16 consecutive hitters. The big right-hander was much more efficient with his pitch count and was able to work a complete game in the losing effort, striking out a career-high 12.

Having thrown over 100 pitches Tuesday in his win at Cincinnati, Purdue head coach Doug Schreiber determined Robert Ramer would not start game three of the series due to it getting moved up for the doubleheader on Saturday. But Ramer was available in relief Saturday and the senior recorded the final six outs of the game one win to earn his first save since 2010.

Wood connected for a two-run double to right center with runners on second and third and two outs in the sixth inning, breaking open the scoreless tie. After Wood singled with one out in the ninth, Hudnall connected for a two-run homer to right field, his second long ball of the season and the only home run for either team in the series.

Evansville scored in six of the eight innings in which the home team batted in the nightcap of the doubleheader. Purdue used eight pitchers in the loss, with Pat Gannon recording the only 1-2-3 inning (bottom of the sixth).

Sean McHugh batted leadoff as the starting catcher in both games, becoming the first Purdue player to hit leadoff as the catcher since Jordan Comadena in March 2008. Jake Hansen saw his nine-game hitting streak snapped in game one, but the senior has reached base successfully in 11 consecutive games. Brandon Krieg walked in his first plate appearance of game two and has now reached safely in 10 straight games in which he has batted.

The Boilermakers will also host Ohio State (March 22-24) and IPFW (March 27) during inaugural homestand at Alexander Field.