After leading by eight runs in the fourth inning, Indiana baseball lost to Purdue 11-9 Friday night at Alexander Field in West Lafayette, Indiana. The Cream and Crimson fell to 21-28 and 7-18 in the Big Ten after allowing nine unanswered runs in the final two innings.
Indiana’s starting pitcher, graduate student left-hander Tony Neubeck, entered the contest with a 4.01 ERA and 1.37 WHIP in 58.1 innings pitched. He held Purdue to two runs and notched eight strikeouts in six innings pitched Friday.
The Hoosiers scored first in the opening frame. Following an infield error committed by the Boilermakers and a walk, freshman catcher Owen ten Oever hit a two-RBI double into center field. The base hit marked the ninth consecutive game he has reached base at least once.
In the fourth inning, Indiana added on to its 2-0 lead as it scored six runs with two outs.
Freshman infielder Landen Fry hit an RBI single to make it 3-0. Then, redshirt freshman catcher Brayden Ricketts pinch hit for redshirt junior outfielder Ayden Crouse, and hit a three-run home run over the left-field wall.
Two more base runners reached before sophomore outfielder/left-handed pitcher Caleb Koskie hit a two-run single through the right side of the infield.
Purdue junior right-handed pitcher Cole Van Assen held a 4.48 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 64.1 innings pitched prior to Friday’s contest. However, in 5.1 innings pitched against the Hoosiers, he allowed eight earned runs and eight hits over 73 pitches thrown.
The Boilermakers responded with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning to make it a 7-2 game.
Junior infielder Zach Zychowski drove in both runners with a single up the middle. With the base hit, Zychowski picked up his 11th and 12th RBIs of the year.
Indiana sophomore infielder Jake Hanley extended the Hoosiers lead to 9-2 with a one run single in the sixth inning. The Mason, Ohio native has recorded 45 RBIs in 49 contests this year.
Junior right-handed pitcher Jackson Yarberry entered in the seventh inning after Neubeck departed. Yarberry allowed four earned runs over 1.1 innings pitched in his 18th appearance of the year.
The struggles continued from Indiana’s bullpen.
Graduate student right-handed pitcher Gavin Seebold came into the game for Yarberry. But Seebold gave up the lead, and ultimately, surrendered five hits and five earned runs in 0.1 innings pitched.
Purdue senior outfielder Brandon Rogers, who was used as a pinch-hitter, tied the game with a two-run single in the eighth inning. The next batter, senior infielder Sam Flores gave the Boilermakers the lead on a two-run home run.
Ultimately, the Boilermakers scored seven runs in the eighth inning. Indiana’s bullpen allowed nine earned runs on seven hits over the final two innings.
The Hoosiers weren't able to respond in the ninth inning. They went down 1-2-3 to end the contest. Purdue senior right-handed pitcher Jake Kramer picked up his eighth save.
The Hoosiers will look to bounce back Saturday in the second game of the series against Purdue. First pitch will be at 2 p.m. with the game being streamed on Big Ten+.
Follow reporters Elakai Anela (@elakai_anela and eanela@iu.edu) and Will Kwiatkowski (@WKwiatkowski_15 and wdkwiatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana baseball season.
