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Purdue Fort Wayne
Purdue
Mastodons Outslug Boilermakers, 22-19 (Not an April Fool's Joke)
4/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 1, 2009
Fort Wayne, IN - There were 41 runs scored on 39 hits, seven home runs and two grand slams, and when the dust had finally settled at Mastodons Field, it was IPFW coming out on top of Purdue 22-19 on Wednesday afternoon.
IPFW got the slugfest started by putting up seven runs in the bottom of the first. First baseman Shaun VanDriessche plated a pair on an RBI double to right center. Designated hitter Mark Carden followed that up with a two-run single to right.
Purdue cut the Mastodon lead to just three in their half of the 3rd inning as first baseman Drew Madia drilled a one-out grand slam out of right center.
The 'Dons got three of those back in their half of the third on RBI base hits by center fielder Garrett Segraves and shortstop Chris Gottschall and another RBI double by VanDriessche.
The Boilers, however, would get those three back in the top of the fourth to make it 10-7 IPFW.
Not to be outdone, IPFW got a lead-off homer by second baseman Jordan Kohler in the bottom of the fourth. The big blow of the inning came off of the bat of Segraves who drilled a bases loaded bomb out to dead center. It was his first homer of the year in his first game back in three weeks.
Purdue got a single run in the 5th inning and three in the sixth, two coming on an RBI double by center fielder Alex Jaffee to cut the 'Dons lead back to 15-11.
Segraves got one back for IPFW in the 6th inning with an RBI double to left center.
Purdue pushed a run across in the top of the seventh to make the score 16-12.
IPFW then had a four-run uprising in the bottom of the 7th inning as Gottschall scored on a Purdue error and Kohler blasted a three-run shot out of left field. For Kohler, his home runs were numbers five and six on the season.
But no lead was safe on the afternoon.
Leading 20-12, Purdue got three in the top of the 8th inning via the longball. Catcher Eric Nielsen sent a two-run shot out off right center. Two batters later, second baseman Eric Charles followed that up with a solo shot also to right. For Nielsen, it was his first homer of the season. It was the second for Charles.
At 20-15, IPFW plated two more in the bottom of the eighth on two-out RBI single by catcher Mason Rovenstine.
The Boilermakers (10-11) did not go quietly in the top of the ninth.
Designated hitter David Blount homered with one out. Then, left fielder Tyler Spillner brought home two with a single to left center. And, after an RBI ground out by first baseman Dan Black, IPFW's seven run lead had been cut to just three.
Mercifully, IPFW reliever Andrew Emge got Madia to fly out to Gottschall at shortstop to end the game.
 Garrett Segraves was 3-5 with seven RBI vs. Purdue  |
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Segraves was 3-5 on the day with 7 RBI and 3 runs scored. Kohler was 3-4 with 4 RBI and 3 runs scored. Carden and VanDriessche each drove in three, and third baseman Jason Doerffler was 3-3 with an RBI.
Madia had a 5 RBI day for the Boilermakers on 4-6 hitting.
The win went to IPFW reliever Scott Micinski (1-2) who tossed 3.2 innings. He gave up seven runs, four earned, on nine hits. He struck out two and walked three.
Emge got the save, his third of the season.
Purdue starter Connor Sestak took the loss (0-2). He did not retire a batter in the IPFW first inning. He gave up four runs, all earned, on one hit. He walked one and hit two batters.
With the win, IPFW improves to 7-14. The 'Dons now begin Summit League play this weekend with a four-game set at Oral Roberts beginning Friday.
~Dons~
