Skip To Main Content

Valparaiso University

Calendar

Connor Giusti ILL
3
Valparaiso VALPO 5-15
6
Winner Purdue PUR 20-4
Valparaiso VALPO
5-15
3
Final
6
Purdue PUR
20-4
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Valparaiso VALPO 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 6 2
Purdue PUR 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 2 X 6 9 0

W: MILBURN (2-1) L: Kruse, Ryan (0-2) S: A-COOK (5)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Purdue Prevails in Midweek Matchup

The Valparaiso University baseball team had hopes of knocking off a third Big Ten Conference team this season, but host Purdue prevailed 6-3 on Tuesday at Alexander Field in West Lafayette. The Beacons jumped out to the early lead, but the Boilermakers had single tallies in four straight innings from the second to the fifth on the way to securing their 20th win of the season.
 
How It Happened
  • Valpo started the scoring in the second inning, a frame that started with two outs and nobody on base. Austin Amburgey (Miamisburg, Ohio / Miamisburg) singled to start a string of three straight Beacons reaching base and eventually came around to score the game's first run on a wild pitch.
  • Purdue manufactured a run in the second inning, using a bunt and a sac fly to push across the tying tallying.
  • The Boilermakers did take the lead in the third, but it was no reason to sound the alarms as Ryan Kruse (Detroit, Mich. / U of D Jesuit) worked out of the inning with minimal damage. The hosts had the bases full with nobody out and a chance for more, but Kruse recorded a strikeout and inducted an inning-ending double play.
  • A solo homer in the fourth expanded the Purdue lead to 3-1. Valpo loaded the bases with one away in the fifth, but Purdue made a pitching change and escaped the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.
  • The Boilermakers picked up a single tally again in the fifth, making it a 4-1 lead. Alexander Morrison (Pasadena, Calif. / Canyon) was summoned from the bullpen with two outs and a runner at third, and worked out of the jam, stranding the runner 90 feet away.
  • Senior Connor Giusti (Hoffman Estates, Ill. / Fremd) led off the sixth with a solo home run, cutting the Purdue lead to two at 4-2.
  • Senior Kolt Davis (Johnson, Neb. / Johnson-Brock) pitched a scoreless sixth.  
  • Freshman Nick Baffa (Glenview, Ill. / Notre Dame College Prep) entered the game with two on and nobody out in the seventh and worked out of the jam, ending the inning with consecutive strikeouts to keep the deficit at two.  
  • The Beacons pulled within a run as Spencer Warfield (Fullerton, Calif. / Servite) drew a leadoff walk in the eighth and scampered home on a sac fly by Kade Reinertson (Huxley, Iowa / Ballard).
  • Purdue picked up two in the bottom of the eighth to expand the lead to 6-3. Adam Guazzo (Huntley, Ill. / Huntley) came in and limited the damage as he was not charged with a run while allowing no hits and striking out two in one inning.
Inside the Game
  • Giusti's home run was his third of the season and the 10th of his two-year Valpo career.
  • Thaxton had two hits to lead the team.
  • Purdue held a 9-6 edge in the hit column. Giusti's homer and a double by Liam Patton (Barrington, Ill. / Warsaw) accounted for Valpo's extra-base knocks.
  • The Beacons issued only three walks while Purdue pitching walked seven. However, the Beacon pitching staff did hit five batters.
  • Nine Valpo pitchers took the mound, led by Davis, Baffa and Guazzo who each pitched one inning without being charged with a run.
  • Valpo already has wins over Illinois and Ohio State this season and was hoping to beat a third different Big Ten Conference team.
Up Next
The Beacons (5-16) will open up a three-game weekend series at Evansville on Friday night. The game will start at 6 p.m. and will be carried on ESPN+.
 
Print Friendly Version