Purdue Fort Wayne
Purdue
Eighth Inning Rally leads Purdue Past IPFW
3/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 24, 2009
West Lafayette, IN - Purdue University rallied for four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to get past IPFW, 5-2 on Tuesday afternoon at Lambert Field.
Both teams were locked into a tight pitcher's duel for most of the game.
Purdue played small-ball to get on the board in the first inning. Left fielder Tyler Spillner led off the game with a single to left field. He stole second and advanced to third on an infield ground out. Purdue head coach Doug Schreiber then called for a "safety squeeze". First baseman Drew Madia placed a perfect bunt up the first base line and Spillner easily scored.
That was the only run of the game until the 7th inning.
IPFW would tie the game as junior third baseman Jordan Kohler deposited the second pitch of the inning over the wall in left center. The solo shot was his third homer of the season.
The 'Dons weren't done in the frame. They forced three Purdue pitching changes and got their second run of the inning on a bases loaded walk by senior shortstop Chris Gottschall.
Purdue brought in reliever Jeff Straub to work out of a bases loaded one out jam, and he did, getting the final two outs to keep the score 2-1 Mastodons.
In the bottom of the 8th inning, Purdue's first two batters reached base via the single.
Second baseman Eric Charles grounded into a fielder's choice, giving the 'Boilers runners on first and third with one out against IPFW reliever Andrew Emge.
Catcher Eric Neilsen singed to left field, tying the game at two. The next at-bat was a turning point in the ball game. Spillner fell behind 0-2 in the count. Emge threw him a filthy 0-2 breaking ball that caught the heart of the plate. Spillner was caught flat-footed and watched the pitch go by. However, the pitch was called a ball. Spillner would work the count full and eventually walk to load the bases.
The next batter, Jonathan Lilly ripped a one-hopper to Jason Doerffler at second. Doerffler came home to get the force for the second out of the inning.
That brought Purdue third baseman Dan Black to the plate. Black had been walked intentionally twice so far in the game. Emge got ahead in the count, 1-2, but his next pitch was up in the zone and Black sent it to the wall in left center. His double cleared the bases and gave Purdue a 5-2 lead.
Straub gave up an infield single in the ninth inning but that was all IPFW could get against him, falling by three.
Mastodon starter A.J. Risedorph went 5-2/3 innings. He gave up a run on four hits. He struck out two but struggled in the 40 mph plus winds, walking seven.
Emge would take the loss (1-3). All four of his runs were earned. He fanned two and walked one.
Straub grabbed his first win of the season (1-0). In 2-2/3 innings, he struck out four and didn't issue a walk. He gave up just two hits.
With the loss, the Mastodons fall to 5-11. Purdue improved to 9-9.
IPFW will finish their current five game road swing on Wednesday at Butler University. Game time is 3:00 p.m.
~Dons~
