DeKALB – Seven different pitchers struggled in the Purdue University Boilermakers’ 14-5 thrashing of NIU baseball Tuesday in West Lafayette. 

Purdue senior outfielder Jake Jarvis’ seventh-inning grand slam helped the Boilermakers (8-7, 0-0 Big Ten) snap a seven-game skid, and pushed the Huskies’ (3-13, 0-3 MAC) losing streak to five games. 

MORE MOUND ISSUES

NIU’s pitching allowed double-digit runs for the fourth consecutive game. The Huskies used seven different pitchers during the game. Sophomore pitcher Conner Lutes started the game for NIU, lasting just two innings and giving up four runs on four hits. 

Junior pitchers Caleb Pittman, DJ Hess, Jackson Stewart, sophomore pitcher Tommy Meyer and senior pitchers Brandon Doty and Nick Bonk all pitched in the final six innings. Five runs were charged to Pittman, three runs were charged to Meyer and two runs were charged to Doty. 

Huskie pitchers finished the day allowing 14 runs on 12 hits and a 9.51 earned run average (ERA). 

BATS FALL BEHIND

The bats were quiet until the sixth inning, where the Huskies scored four runs to cut Purdue’s lead at the time to 9-5. NIU totaled eight hits on the day, including two from junior infielder Aaron Harper – who also recorded an RBI (runs batted in) single in the sixth. 

Junior infielder and outfielder Andrew Smart led the Huskies with two RBIs – a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning and a fielding error by Purdue in the sixth. Senior outfielder Malik Peters scored on a wild pitch in the sixth, so junior outfielder and designated hitter Brandon Johnson had the fourth and final RBI for the Huskies. 

Peters, junior right fielder Eric Erato, junior outfielder and catcher Colin Summerhill, junior infielder and outfielder Parker Shupe and junior infielder and pinch hitter Jake Nelson also recorded hits for the Huskies. 

BOILERMAKER BASHING

Purdue started the scoring in the second inning when fifth-year infielder Evan Albrecht doubled home junior catcher Connor Caskenette and senior infielder Jake Parr. The Boilermakers put two more runs on the board in the second to take a 4-0 lead. 

NIU got a run back on Smart’s fourth-inning sacrifice fly, but Purdue responded with a five-run bottom half of the fourth, which included a bases-clearing double by redshirt junior infielder Paul Toetz to extend Purdue’s lead to 9-1. 

Four runs in the sixth inning got NIU within four runs thanks to Harper’s RBI single and a wild pitch by Purdue redshirt sophomore pitcher Logan Danzeisen. Purdue’s error on Smart’s ground ball and a sacrifice fly by Johnson made the score 9-5. 

That was as close as NIU got. Jarvis’ grand slam capped off another five-run inning for the Boilermakers and gave them the 14-5 lead. 

The Huskies threatened in the ninth inning, loading the bases. Purdue junior pitcher Jackson Dannelley escaped the jam by forcing Huskie junior infielder Mason Kelley to ground out, sealing the win for Purdue.

UP NEXT

The Huskies continue Mid-American Conference play when they travel to Oxford, Ohio to take on Miami University at 2 p.m. Friday. Live stats will be available via Sidearm Sports.