It is going to be a popular refrain over the next few weeks, but this weekend Purdue baseball has an important series as it strives to make the NCAA Tournament for only the fourth time in program history. With five weekends to go in the regular season the various college baseball publications have Purdue squarely on the Bubble:
D1Baseball has us as the “Last Team in”
Baseball America has us in the “First Four Out”
On3 has Purdue not only in, but above “Last Four In”
This even considered the midweek 5-3
loss to Miami (OH) in 11 innings. That game was quite competitive and the Redhawks themselves are in NCAA consideration, so they received a nice little boost. The midweek games do not count as much as your weekend conference series, but you can pick up nice little bonuses with them.
This weekend Purdue hosts Ohio State as the Boilers attempt to win a sixth straight Big Ten series. After taking just one of three from Oregon in the Big Ten opening series Purdue has done well. It beat Maryland, Michigan State, Illinois, and Penn State two games to one before sweeping Northwestern in Evanston last week.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Ohio State (19-16, 9-6 Big Ten) at Purdue (25-11, 12-6 Big Ten)
April 17-19 / Stream B1G+
Series Opener: Friday, April 17 at 6 p.m. ET
Middle Game: Saturday, April 18 at 2 p.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday, April 19 at 1 p.m. ET
Alexader Field / West Lafayette, Indiana
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Cole Van Assen (Jr, RHP) vs. OSU’s Gavin Kuzniewski (So, RHP)
Saturday: Zach Erdman (Sr, LHP) vs. OSU’s Chris Domke (Jr, RHP)
Sunday: Austin Klug (Sr, RHP) vs. OSU’s Pierce Herrenbruck (Jr, RHP)
Ohio State is also a hot team in the league having won eight of its last nine in conference play. That includes sweeps of Minnesota and Maryland and a 2-1 win over Penn State in last weekend’s action.
ACTIVE STREAKS
• Eli Anderson: 12-game hit at home
• Avery Moore: 11-game on-base; 6-game hit; 10-game on-base in Big Ten play; 5-game on-base at home
• Sam Flores: 10-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Aaron Manias: 8-game on-base in Big Ten play
• Quincy Malbrough: 7-game-hit; 7-game on-base at home; 6-game hit at home; 5-game hit in Big Ten play
• Jackson Bessette: 7-game on-base; 5-game hit in Big Ten play
• Westin Boyle: 6-game on-base
• Jake Kramer: 14 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings; 10 consecutive scoreless innings at home
BOILERMAKERS AMONG THE TOP 10 IN THE BIG TEN
• Aaron Manias: 1st in OBP (.513), 5th in HBP (14), 7th in OPS (1.108), 8th in Avg (.371)
• Trevor Kester-Johnson: 2nd in Appearances (22); Also T-2nd Nationally
• Jake Kramer: T-3rd in Appearances (19), T-6th in Saves (5)
• Eli Anderson: T-4th in Steals (13)
• Sam Flores: 6th in Hits (53), T-6th in Doubles (12), 8th in RBI (39), 9th in Total Bases (89)
• Westin Boyle: T-6th in Sac Bunts (4), T-7th in Triples (2)
• Austin Klug: T-6th in Victories (5)
• Dylan Drake: T-7th in Triples (2)
• Zach Erdman: 8th in Fewest Walks per 9 Innings (2.40)
• Brandon Rogers: 8th in SLUG (.643), 10th in Avg (.369), 10th in OPS (1.091)
This should be an interesting series. The Buckeyes are trying to play their own way into the field and with an RPI of 97 to Purdue’s 63 they could benefit greatly from a road series win. For Purdue, it is all about stacking wins at this point. Another series win, even at 2-1, would help secure Purdue’s place in the field. A sweep probably even gets them out of that “Last Four In” territory. There is not really a chance at winning the Big Ten, as UCLA is running away with it at 18-0 in conference play, but it currently sits in fourth place at 12-6, which is good for a first round bye in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament that will have 12 teams. Another series win also all but locks up one of those Big Ten Tournament bids.
To editorialize, I think Purdue has a shot at making the field. There are 19 games left in the regular season and as long as Purdue wins at least 10-12 of them it will be in the mix. The largest opportunity will be next week at USC when the Boilers can get a win or two on the road at a top 15 team. Taking one from the Trojans and winning the remaining four weekend series is a reasonable goal. The other four remaining games are midweek affairs against Indiana State, Southern Indiana, and Ball State at home and a return game in Muncie against the Cardinals. Portland, the team Purdue opened against in Texas this year, is also doing surprisingly well. As long as the Pilots, with a decent RPI of 70, can win as well that wil help too.
