IU @ Purdue, Game 2: IU wakes up late to blow by the Boilers, 10-2...

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It's RHP Connor Foley on the mound for IU with an ERA of 4.74 in 43.2 IP and a WHIP of 1.24 with an OBA of .162. There were a couple of changes in the batting order with Tibbitts moving up to No. 6 in the order and Mathison at No. 7. According to the pregame coverage, they are probably going to pitch Foley about 2 or 3 innings with Bothwell taking over.

LHP Luke Wagner is on the mound for PU with an ERA of 5.04 in 55.1 IP with a WHIP of 1.66 with an OBA of .332. Purdue's hot hitting redshirt freshman Luke Gaffney with a .412 average is back in the lineup for the Boilers and he is in the No. 3 spot for them.

It is 77 and sunny with not much of a wind which is out of the NNW at 4 mph.

1st inning:

T1st:

Taylor flied out on a well hit ball to start the game. Pyne grounded out for the 2nd out. Mitchell flied out to retire the side as IU goes down in order.

B1st:

Foley got the leadoff hitter on a groundout. A pop-up foul was snared by Stadler for two outs. Gaffney grounded out to SS as Foley put them down in order.

End of 1st: IU 0 PU 0

 

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2nd inning:

T2nd:

It's the middle of the order up with Cerny leading off. Brenczewski grounded out and Tibbitts popped out in the infield as IU goes down in order again.

B2nd:

Foley faced the middle of the order and he got the leadoff hitter on pop up in the infield. The next batter singled with Mitchell having trouble fielding it and the runner took 2nd on an error charged to Mitchell.

Foley then walked the next batter on a 3-1 count to put runners on 1st and 2nd and one out.

The next batter hit a hard grounder to Pyne which looked like a DP ball with the runner out at 2nd with the runner at 2nd deflecting the throw to 1st with his hand and interference was called with runner out at 1st for a DP. Purdue challenged the call and the call was quickly upheld by the umps to end the inning.

End of the 2nd: IU 0 PU 0

 

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3rd inning:

T3rd:

It was the bottom of the order up with Mathison leading off and IU went down in order for the 3rd straight inning to start the game on a flyout by Mathison, a K by Stadler, and a hard-hit liner to 2B by Oliver. IU was still looking for their first base runner in the game.

B3rd:

It was the 8 thru 1 hitters up and Foley got the leadoff batter on a great diving catch by Taylor in LF. Foley then walked the next batter on a full count and we were at the top of the order for Purdue.

Incredibly, Foley Kd the next batter but he was charged with a pitch clock violation and the batter went from a 1-2 count on the strikeout to a 2-2 count at the plate. Foley then got the batter a 2nd time on the strikeout on a 3-2 count for the 2nd out with the runner at 1st stealing 2nd.

Foley got another K to end the inning.

End of 3rd: IU 0 PU 0

 

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4th inning:

T4th:

IU was back to the top of the order with IU looking for their first hit and first base runner of the game.

Taylor got the first hit of the game for IU with a leadoff single. Pyne reached on a FC with Taylor out at 2nd for the first out.

Mitchell grounded to the pitcher which ended up being a DP and the side was retired.

B4th:

Foley faced the 3 thru 5 hitters and he got the leadoff hitter on a groundout. Foley hit the next batter on a full count to put a runner on, and it was a ball four that went as a hit batter.

The next batter was hit on the hand which was on a swing for a strike and Purdue challenged the call. The call was changed to another hit batter and two runners on through hit batters and one out.

A flyout got the 2nd out with the runners holding at 1st and 2nd.

A single scored a run with runners at 1st and 2nd and two outs. A flyout ended the inning.

End of 4th: PU 1 IU 0

 

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5th inning:

T5th:

It's the middle of the order up for IU and Cerny grounded out to leadoff. no Kd for the 2nd out. Tibbitts grounded out and IU went down in order for the 4th time today.

B5th:

It was the 9 thru 2 hitters up with Foley replaced by LHP Ty Bothwell with an ERA of 5.95 in 56.0 IP and a WHIP of 1.34.

The leadoff hitter reached on a hard-hit liner off Bothwell's glove that went up the middle. On a bunt, it was fielded by Bothwell but no one was at first and it went as an infield hit and runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs.

A flyout got the first out and runners holding at 1st and 2nd. A grounder to 1B got the 2nd out with runners advancing to 2nd and 3rd. A grounder got Bothwell out of the jam with no damage done.

End of 5h: PU 1 IU 0

 

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6th inning:

T6th:

It was the bottom of the order up with Mathison leading off. The Purdue starter is at 66 pitches so far with IU not being able to find the holes anywhere on the field and they have no walks in the game so far.

Mathison hit a weak grounder to 2nd for the first out. Another grounder by Stadler resulted in the 2nd out. Oliver Kd looking and a so-so pitcher on the mound was looking like Bob Gibson in his prime in what has to be a career game for him so far.

B6th:

Bothwell faced the 5 thru 7 hitters. Bothwell got the leadoff hitter on a grounder on the first pitch. A flyout got the next batter after he had a 3-0 count. Bothwell then got a K to end the inning.

End if 6th: PU 1 IU 0

 

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7th inning:

T7th:

The Purdue pitcher was at 78 pitches and he faced the top of the order. Taylor grounded out for the first out.

Pyne singled for just IU's second hit of the game with both singles. Mitchell singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out.

The back-to-back singles chased the Purdue pitcher who had dominated the Hoosiers up until now. Purdue brought in RHP Jackson Dannelley with an ERA of 4.65 in 31.0 IP and a WHIP of 1.10.

Cerny lined out to 1B on a hard-hit ball and there was two outs with the runners at 1st and 2nd.

Brenczewski got a clutch RBI-single scoring Pyne and runners at 1st and 2nd and two outs.

Tibbitts singled to score Mitchell as IU took the lead at 2-1 after four singles.

Mathison clubbed a huge three-run homer to right center to make it 5-1 IU.

Stadler doubled off the wall and Purdue went to the bullpen again and brought in RHP Davis Pratt with an ERA of 4.37 in 22.2 IP and a WHIP of 1.59, and he faced Oliver with two outs.

Oliver doubled to score Stadler and make it 6-1 with the top of the order up in Taylor and two outs.

Taylor walked on a full count to put runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs with Pyne up. Pyne took a called third strike on a full count to retire the side.

B7th:

Bothwell faced the 8 thru 1 hitters while having a nice cushion right now. Bothwell got a groundout on the first pitch to the leadoff hitter. Another groundout resulted in the 2nd out and the top of the order was up for the Boilers.

Bolton's hard-hit single through the right side put a runner on with two outs. Tibbitts grabbed a foul popup to end the inning.

End of 7th: IU 6 PU 1

 

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8th inning:

T8th:

It was the 3 thru 5 hitters up with Mitchell leading off. Mitchell hit a hard-hit liner that was caught at 1B and he has hit the ball hard in this game. Cerny Kd looking for the 2nd out.

Brenczewski reached after being hit by a pitch with two outs. Tibbitts flied out to retire the side.

B8th:

Bothwell faced the 3 thru 5 hitters with Gaffney leading off and the hot hitting redshirt frosh has gone 0-3 in the game so far after missing yesterday's game. Gaffney grounded out for the first out.

The next batter singled to put a runner on with one out. Bothwell walked the next batter on a full count after having an 0-2 count on him, and runners were on 1st and 2nd and one out. Vogel had started to warm up in the bullpen.

A grounder got the 2nd out with the runners moving to 2nd and 3rd. A flyout to Mathison ended the inning with Bothwell pitching out of the jam.

End of 8th: IU 6 PU 1

 

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9th inning:

T9th:

It was the bottom of the order up and Mathison grounded out for the first out. A hard hit ball to RF by Stadler was ruled a double with the ball off the glove of the fielder and one out. Stadler was 2 for 4 against his old team today.

Oliver flied out for the 2nd out and IU was back to the top of the order with Taylor up and Stadler still at 2nd.

Taylor singled with Stadler being held at 3rd.

Pyne hit an RBI-double as IU added another insurance run with Stadler scoring and runners at 2nd and 3rd with two outs.

Purdue went to the bullpen again and brought in RHP CJ Backer with an ERA of 2.70 in 6.2 IP and a WHIP of 0.90, and he faced Mitchell with runners on 2nd and 3rd and two outs.

Mitchell singled to bring in both Taylor and Pyne.

Cerny doubled to score Mitchell, and Brenczewski singled to put runners on the corners with two outs. Tibbitts grounded out to retire the side.

B9th:

Bothwell was back out there and he faced the 8 thru 1 hitters. The leadoff hitter reached on a throwing error by Cerny which took Tibbitts off the bag at 1st.

A pop up to 2B got the first out. Bothwell then Kd the next batter for the 2nd out. A WP sent the runner to 2nd. A single up the middle scored a run for Purdue with the WP costing a meaningless run. A difficult play by Cerny got the next batter at 1st to end the game.

Final: IU 10 Purdue 2

 

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IU goes for the series win tomorrow and it would be the first series won on the road at Purdue since 2002 when Bob Morgan coached the team.

Foley and Bothwell combined to pitch a sensational game, giving up just one earned run in the game with an unearned run being scored in the 9th after a leadoff error. IU really needed that pitching effort since they couldn't get anything going for the first six innings with IU going down in order in five of the first six innings. Some of IU's at-bats over the first six innings were hard hit balls that went straight to Purdue defenders, while a lot of them were just routine flyouts and weakly hit grounders.

The Purdue pitcher Wagner had an ERA of over 8.00 over his last three outings but he kept mowing down IU hitters until he gave up back-to-back singles after one out in the 7th, and things were like a snowball rolling downhill with IU pouring it on after that. IU outhit Purdue, 13 to 7, and they were 13 of 40 for a team average of .325, while the Boilers were 7 for 34 for .206 with all of the Boiler hits being singles. IU had four players with two hits each, while Mathison had a huge 3-run homer which pretty much put IU in control the rest of the way. The entire batting order had at least one hit in the game.

Mitchell - 2 for 5 with 2 RBIs and he had some hard hit balls that went for outs.

Pyne - 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI.

Brenczewski - 2 for 4 with an RBI.

Taylor - 2 for 4 and a run scored.

Mathison - 1 for 4 with a three-run homer.

Cerny - 1 for 5 with a double and RBI.

Stadler and Oliver each had a double with Oliver getting an RBI, and Stadler was the victim of some hard-hit balls that went for outs against his former team. Tibbitts also had a hit and an RBI.

IU had another two errors today with the first in the 2nd inning which did no damage, and the last error in the 9th which led to an unearned run. Purdue had one error.

Like I indicted earlier, the pitching was really great with Foley coming back after missing a couple of starts over a tight back. He had some hiccups along the way but he gave up just the one run in his start. Bothwell continued the effort that Foley had, and he put the Boilers down the rest of the way with just an unearned run given up in the 9th.

Foley - 4.0 IP, 2 hits and 1 earned run, 2 Ks, 2 BBs, and he hit 2 batters.

Bothwell (W) - 5.0 IP, 4 hits and no earned runs, 2 Ks, 1 BB, and 1 WP.

 

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Other games in the B1G for Saturday with all games final:

Rutgers 2 Maryland 1

Iowa 9 NW 2 - Brecht pitched another gem and he went 8.0 IP with two hits and one earned run with 13 Ks. He has been named the B1G Pitcher of the Week the past two weeks, and he may have another one on Monday.

MSU 12 Michigan 8

Neb 7 Minn 3

Illinois 10 OSU 5 - Illinois moved back into a tie for first with Purdue after IU's win, and it's now a three-way tie for first with Neb also at 12-5 in the conference. IU is a game back with Iowa a game and a half behind.

PSU @ Navy was canceled.

 

[TomEric4756]

Need the series win … IU pitching held up today …

 

[rcaulfie]

Need the series win … IU pitching held up today …

It held up today cuz Foley is our best pitcher and Bothwell has been really good at times, and then lit up at times. Fortunately, he was really good today. But I don't have much faith in any of our other pitchers, tbh. I hope they prove me wrong tomorrow.

 

[TomEric4756]

It held up today cuz Foley is our best pitcher and Bothwell has been really good at times, and then lit up at times. Fortunately, he was really good today. But I don't have much faith in any of our other pitchers, tbh. I hope they prove me wrong tomorrow.

Season stats suggest IU used their best two pitchers in game 2. Need to find someone to step up in game 3. Got good pitching in game 3 v. Rutgers. It is needed today too.

 

[Bucket Getter]

It's amazing to me we haven't won a series at PU since 2002. They haven't been anything special and IU has had some very strong teams. Wow.

 

[TomEric4756]

It's amazing to me we haven't won a series at PU since 2002. They haven't been anything special and IU has had some very strong teams. Wow.

Yes 2002 is at least 10 in a row … let’s regress to the mean this year … (which of course, given independent trials, is by no means guaranteed)