Big inning costs Purdue late

The Boilers were winning a pitching duel two thirds of the game against Illinois (32-17, 17-6) on Friday night. Then things came apart at the seams.

It started with a seemingly innocuous walk on a full count, resulting in Purdue (33-21, 13-10) head coach Gregg Goff emerging from the dugout and the piano tune that signals a pitcher change ringing through Alexander Field. Senior reliever Aaron Suval was the one called upon to guide the Boilers into the game’s final stretch.

He instead allowed a home run to the first batter he saw, and failed to record an out before senior Jackson Dannelly entered. A sacrifice bunt moved both of Dannelly’s inherited runners into scoring position, and two walks and a grand slam later, the game was swung irredeemably in the Illini’s favor.

When the 9-4 loss concluded, clinching Illinois a share of the Big Ten championship, the Illini swarmed the infield. They dumped the contents of their Gatorade cooler and posed for photos in their freshly-unboxed championship hats, lingering long after Purdue had cleared its dugout.

“I know I’m not gonna sleep tonight,” Goff said. “I hope those guys use it as motivation for tomorrow.”

Longtime team manager Hunter McCandless watched the Illini for a few minutes after the game from just outside Purdue’s dugout, shuffling his feet while he looked on, hat in hands, until he was the last Boiler to leave.

Here are three points of emphasis from the 9-4 loss.

A feat of pitching

For 11 straight innings, the best offense in the Big Ten was held scoreless.

It was a group effort by five pitchers across two games, beginning Thursday when graduate starter Jordan Morales rebounded from allowing five runs through two innings. Relievers Avery Cook, Davis Pratt and Carter Doorn protected the scoreboard the rest of the night.

Luke Wagner continued the streak through four innings Friday. Wagner fired through six innings of one-run ball before Goff gave him a crack at the seventh.

“Wagner threw great,” Goff said. “I’m proud of how he handled their hitters and, again, all those things are going to be important as we get into the tournament next week.”

Wagner walked a batter on a full count after a sixth inning he escaped with a bit of luck. In that inning, a grounder was smoked straight into senior shortstop Thomas Green’s glove, and Green flipped his hips and threw home to nail the lead runner, who had tripled the plate appearance prior.

Relief woes back after taking Thursday off

Purdue allowed 21 runs after the fifth inning in four losses to Indiana and Michigan earlier this month. In a second-half slip against stiffer conference competition this season, the bullpen hadn’t helped things until it flipped the script Thursday.

In that game against the Illini, bullpen pitchers kept the board clean. But Friday night, the ills returned. Longtime bullpen stalwart Aaron Suval failed to record an out while allowing three runners to score, and senior Jackson Danelly couldn’t patch the leak in allowing walks and a grand slam.

“We just lost the ability to mix it up,” Goff said. “And when you throw fastballs against good hitters in fastball counts, that’s what happens.”

Putting their faith in Moerman

Purdue pitchers knew Ryan Moerman was trouble – he had hit 15 home runs coming into the weekend’s series. They and Goff talked earlier in the week about staying away from dangerous bats in the middle of the order.

But it’s one thing to gameplan against great hitters and another to keep your nose clean. And against the Illini’s No. 5 hitter, the otherwise-magnificent Purdue pitchers let him take them for a ride.

Moerman’s fifth-inning blast travelled over 400 feet in a few seconds. For a brief moment as the baseball began its descent, center fielder Couper Cornblum untucked his glove slightly from his chest, and he looked like he might reach it.

But then the center fielder planted his foot, the ball sailed out of its brick and concrete prison, and Moerman hopped around the bases, hands flying. It was a near-replay of the night prior, when the 205-pound outfielder lifted one off the top of his barrel that went the distance. He’s now accounted for five RBIs in the series.

The Boilers’ next action will conclude the series at 3 p.m. Saturday. The game will broadcast on Big Ten Network.