WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Northern Illinois University baseball team scored no less than five runs for the eighth time in 10 video games Wednesday, however the Purdue Boilermakers used a five-run fourth inning and five-run seventh inning at Alexander Field in opposition to the Purdue Boilermakers.
Purdue (9-7) received on the board first within the backside of the second inning. Jake Parr reached base on a single with one out. Connor Caskenette then was hit by a Conner Lutes (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) pitch. Evan Albrecht then cleared the bases with a two-run double down the left subject line, advancing to 3rd on a throw house by Parker Shupe (Johnston, Iowa/Kirkwood CC). Mike Bolton Jr. adopted with a sacrifice fly to proper area to score Albrecht and make the rating 3-0. After a walk to Couper Cornblum, Paul Toetz doubled to right middle to score Cornblum and put Purdue up 4-0.
NIU (3-13) put a run on the board within the prime of the fourth. Aaron Harper (Hemet, Calif./Mt. San Jacinto College) hit a double to left subject with one out. Collin Summerhill (Chicago, Ill./Troy) adopted with a single to centerfield to give the Huskies runners on the corners. First Baseman Andrew Smart (Evanston, Ill./Oakton CC) hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Harper and make the score 4-1.
The Boilermakers scored 5 runs within the bottom of the fourth to go up 9-1. Toetz had a two-run single to make the rating 6-1. With the bases loaded and two outs Parr hit a three-run double to proper heart to give Purdue an eight-run advantage.
The Huskies loaded the bases within the prime of the sixth on a Malik Peters (Calumet City, Ill./Mount Carmel) single and walks to Eric Erato (Sussex, Wis./Sussex Hamilton) and Andre Demetral (Rochester, Mich./Florence Darling Tech). A wild pitch from Purdue reliever Logan Danzeisen scored Peters and made the rating 9-2. Harper then hit a single via the left side of the infield to usher in Erato and put the rating at 9-3. Carter Doorn then entered the game from the Purdue bullpen and received a strikeout for the primary out. An error by Albrect the shortstop allowed Demetral to attain and get the Huskies within 5, 9-4. Brandon Johnson then hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to deliver in Harper and make the rating 9-5. Doorn obtained a pop out to finish the NIU risk.
Purdue answered NIU’s four runs within the sixth with five within the seventh. A Jake Jarvis grand slam with two outs within the inning put the Boilermakers up 14-5. The Huskies loaded the bases within the ninth on a walk to Erato and singles from Brandon Johnson (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Twp.) and Jake Nelson (Altoona, Wis./Madison College), but were unable to attain.
“We must be higher on the mound and work to restrict damage,” said head coach Mike Kunigonis. “We battled back offensively and were back in it until we gave up that big inning within the seventh.”
Harper had two hits within the recreation with a double and a run batted in. Smart drove in two runs. Erato was 1-for-3 with a stolen base and two walks. Nick Bonk (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson), Jackson Stewart (Urbandale, Iowa/Des Moines Area CC) and D.J. Hess (Germantown, Wis./College of Lake County) mixed to throw 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.
NIU wraps up its season-opening road journey this weekend with a three-game sequence at Miami. The schedule for the weekend has been altered, with the Huskies and RedHawks taking half in a doubleheader on Friday, March 17 beginning at 10 a.m. CT.
—NIU—
