SOFTBALL SPLITS DOUBLEHEADER AT INDIANA
In back-and-forth battle at Indiana in Game 2, the softball squad came out on top with 6-5 victory after falling in Game 1 of the doubleheader, 1-5. With the result, Purdue (20-20, 7-7 Big Ten) has won nine of its last 11 games.
The Boilermakers scored in the last three straight innings, including a run in the sixth inning to tie the game before Ashlynn Campbell scored the game-winning run in the seventh inning on a wild pitch.
The victory was Purdue’s first against Indiana since 2021.
Relief pitcher Kendall Klochack received the win, moving to 6-3 on the season, after tossing 3.2 innings, allowing two runs and three hits while striking out two batters. Julia Gossett earned the save, closing the game in the bottom of the seventh.
The win came on the heels of a 1-5 loss in which Purdue scored a run in the opening frame, but was answered immediately with three Hoosier runs, which sealed the game. Purdue posted two hits in the outing and allowed seven by Indiana.
Gossett (8-8) went the distance in Game One, allowing seven hits and just one walk in the outing.
Purdue will return home for three games vs. No. 21 Northwestern this weekend, beginning with a 5 p.m. ET start on Friday. The promotions for the game include Barbie at Bitt and Spring Cleaning, where fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for donation.
SOFTBALL TAKES TWO FROM ILLINI
The Purdue Boilermakers (19-18, 6-4 Big Ten) extended their winning streak to seven consecutive victories with their 3-0 shutout at Illinois (15-22, 2-8 Big Ten). With the result, freshman secured her second complete-game shutout of the season.
Catcher had her first multi-hit game of the season as she recorded a career-high two doubles on back-to-back at-bats (fourth and sixth innings), including an RBI on her first hit of the night. Meanwhile, the catcher went on to score after her second double, thanks to a single by . It was Ross’ second run scored this season.
The game-winner came in the fourth inning on an RBI single by , scoring from second base. Ross followed it up with her double, which scored Campbell to give Purdue the 2-0 advantage.
Purdue and Illinois were even with six hits apiece, while Purdue committed four errors to Illinois’ one in the game. Purdue forced nine Illini runners to be left stranded, while just four Boilermakers were left on-base.
Behind Purdue’s 11 runs, the program clinched its third consecutive Big Ten series win as the team downed Illinois, 11-4. The victory marked the most consecutive series wins for the program since 2014.
It was Purdue’s eighth straight win of the season as they improve to a 20-18 (7-4 Big Ten) record, while Illinois falls to 15-24 (2-9 Big Ten) on the season.
The Boilermakers never trailed in the game, taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The Fighting Illini came back with a three-run second inning to even the score, however Purdue poured on the runs in the fourth inning, a feat that proved insurmountable for Illinois.
Purdue’s longest program win streak in Big Ten play came to an end at seven straight games as the Boilermakers fell to the Illinois Fighting Illini, 4-1 in the series finale. Purdue (20-19, 7-5 Big Ten) and Illinois (16-24, 3-9 Big Ten) were tied until the sixth inning when the Illini posted three runs.
Despite the result, Purdue won the series, 2-1, following a 3-0 shutout on Friday and an 11-4 victory yesterday.
Purdue scored a run in the first inning, thanks to an RBI single by Sage Scarmardo, which scored Khloe Banks. The Boilermakers were called out at home in the sixth inning and left seven runners stranded.
BASEBALL STAYS HOT
Australians Jo Stevens and Keenan Spence teamed up for Purdue’s third set of back-to-back home runs this season, providing the run support to back up a quality start from Jordan Morales as the Boilermakers defeated Michigan State 7-2 Friday at Alexander Field.
Purdue (21-13, 6-4 Big Ten) has won five straight games in Big Ten play for the first time since April 2021.
Morales (5-3) struck out six over 7 2/3 innings of two-run ball, throwing 115 pitches in the longest outing of the season by a Boilermaker. The lefty kept MSU (14-17, 3-4 Big Ten) off the scoreboard until the top of the fifth, with Purdue having already built a 4-0 lead by that point. He has helped Purdue go 3-1 on Fridays over the first half of the Big Ten season.
Baseball scored three times in four different innings and needed only 79 pitches to complete seven scoreless innings as the Boilermakers rolled to their third shutout win of the season 14-0 vs. Michigan State on Saturday at Alexander Field.
Purdue (22-13, 7-4 Big Ten) clinched another series victory and has won six straight games in Big Ten play for the first time since reeling off nine consecutive conference wins in 2018.
Wagner (5-0) did not issue a walk over seven innings of four-hit ball. The lefty worked four flawless 1-2-3 frames and did not face more than four batters in an inning. He has led the way in two of the three shutout wins this season, becoming the Boilermakers’ first starting pitcher to be on the mound for multiple shutouts since Tanner Andrews and Trent Johnson both did it in 2018.
Purdue raced out to a 9-0 lead with three consecutive three-run innings to begin the game. The Boilermakers have outscored Michigan State (14-18, 3-5 Big Ten) 21-2 over the first two games of the series.
An early seven-run lead, a seven-run inning and seven straight zeros from the pitching staff added up to a Boilermaker Blackjack as Purdue blasted Michigan State 21-1 Sunday to complete a three-game series sweep at Alexander Field.
The Boilermakers (23-13, 8-4 Big Ten) have won seven consecutive games in Big Ten play, sweeping back-to-back conference weekends for the first time since 2018. Purdue has moved into a second-place tie in the standings with Michigan. Both teams are just a half-game behind Illinois (7-2 Big Ten). The Boilermakers play at Michigan and host Illinois for the final two weekends of the regular season in May.
Purdue outscored MSU 42-3 in the series, enjoying its most decisive series sweep in Big Ten play since the league went to three-game weekends in 2009. The 42 runs scored, three runs against and plus-39 scoring margin were all program bests in the three-game Big Ten series format. Previously, the Boilermakers surrendered just four runs in three-game sweeps in 2012 (vs. Illinois), 2017 (vs. Illinois) and 2018 (vs. Rutgers and vs. Michigan).
collected a career-high seven RBI via a pair of bases-clearing hits, powering another offensive outburst for Purdue as the Boilermakers blasted Ball State 13-3 Tuesday at Alexander Field in a matchup of teams that had lost just once apiece in the month of April.
Purdue (24-13) won for the eighth time in the last nine games, posting a double-figure run total for the third game in a row and 14th time this season. The Boilermakers have racked up 48 runs over their last three games and scored 10-plus in three consecutive games twice this year. Ball State (23-14) arrived at Alexander Field having won 11 of its last 12 games.
Tuesday’s win was also the 100th victory for as the head coach at Purdue.
APRIL 26 SERIES OPENER AT NORTHWESTERN TO BE PLAYED AT WRIGLEY FIELD
Purdue Baseball’s Friday, April 26 game at Northwestern has been moved to Wrigley Field and will be televised live by the Big Ten Network, Northwestern Athletics has announced.
First pitch is set for 8 p.m. ET at the home of the Chicago Cubs, which is located just 10.5 miles from Northwestern’s campus in Evanston. Tickets for the game are available at Cubs.com/NUbaseball and priced at $15 for general admission.
The remainder of the Big Ten weekend series will be contested at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park on the Northwestern campus. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. The Boilermakers will enter the series riding a seven-game win streak in Big Ten play, their longest since 2018.
Purdue opened the 2011 Big Ten season with a three-game series vs. Minnesota at Target Field, marking the last time the Boilermakers played at a big league stadium. Purdue has opened its last three seasons at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas – the Triple-A stadium in suburban Houston.
Purdue Football defeated Northwestern at Wrigley Field in November 2021.
WOMEN’S GOLF SET TO COMPETE AT B1G CHAMPIONSHIPS
Postseason play is here for Purdue Women’s Golf, as the Boilermakers travel to Havre de Grace, Maryland this week for the 42nd Big Ten Conference Women’s Golf Championships. The 54-hole stroke play tournament determines the conference champion and the automatic qualifier to an NCAA Regional. Contested in the state of Maryland for the first time in Big Ten history, the battle for the conference crown takes place over three rounds at Bulle Rock Golf Course.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, April 19: Round 1 (Tee Times starting at 8:30 a.m. ET)
Saturday, April 20: Round 2 (Tee Times starting at 8:30 a.m. ET)
Sunday, April 21: Round 3 (Tee Times starting at 8 a.m. ET)
BOILERS END REGULAR SEASON WITH RIVALRY MATCH AT INDIANA
No. 69 Purdue women’s tennis is set to finish the regular season with a rivalry road match against the Indiana Hoosiers on Friday, April 19 at 2 p.m.
The Boilermakers have earned a record of 11-9 this season with a 4-6 conference record. Sophomore claimed another Big Ten singles victory this weekend against Northwestern. At No. 3, Gibbs defeated Sydney Pratt in three sets. Against No. 35 Illinois, Purdue earned the doubles point with wins from / at the two spot and / at No. 3.
Indiana has gone 6-18 this campaign, having yet to earn a conference win (0-10). At No. 1, Nicole Teodosescu and Lara Schneider have tallied singles records of 1-9 and 3-8, respectively. Teodosescu and Schneider are ranked as a doubles pair at No. 88 by ITA. Leading the Hoosiers in singles wins is freshman Elisabeth Dunac with a 10-9 record.
TOP MARKS HIGHLIGHT SATURDAY IN FLORIDA AND ILLINOIS
Two more top-10 marks in school history were achieved by the Purdue track & field team at a pair of meets on Saturday, at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Gainesville, Florida, and the Gary Wieneke Memorial in Champaign, Illinois.
Sophomore Seth Allen improved his place at No. 3 in program history in the discus on the second day of the two-day meet at Florida, and freshman Douglas Buckeridge entered the top-10 list in the 1,500-meter at No. 10 at Illinois. Allen and graduate student Safin Wills notched marks that are No. 10 in the NCAA East Region.
Allen’s performance came on a hot and cloudless day for the Boilermaker sprinters, distance runners and throwers at Florida’s James G. Pressly Stadium and Percy Beard Track. Buckeridge’s finish was on a warm and mostly sunny day for the squad’s jumpers and select sprinters and distance runners at Illinois’ Demirjian Park. Buckeridge earned one of six top-three finishes for the Boilermakers at the two meets, and Allen picked up one of eight personal-best marks on the day.
The afternoon in Florida began with Allen in the discus, where his second attempt went 59.32 meters. It was a collegiate best by 0.72m to improve his place at No. 3 in school history. Just 0.03m shy of tying for second in team history, Allen’s throw is the best by a Boilermaker since the record of 62.91m was set in 2018 by Ashmon Lucas.
Allen finished the day in fifth place overall in Saturday’s invitational event.
Meanwhile in Illinois, Buckeridge inserted his name on Purdue’s 1,500m list at No. 10. His time of 3:47.39 was good for a spot in the record books by 0.02 seconds. Six of the times on the current top-10 list have come in the last four seasons. Buckeridge was the runner-up on Saturday in a tight race that saw the top four finishers cross the line within 1.20 seconds.
Wills was third in the long jump at U of I with a mark of 7.71m-w. The mark came on Wills’ sixth and final jump and gave him a third-place finish. It just topped his third attempt of 7.70m as he made his outdoor season debut.
While a 2.6 m/s wind prevents Wills from moving up in the record books, it is legal for NCAA East Prelims qualification, and that jump and Allen’s throw are both 10th-best in the region.
In one of the final events of the day in Illinois, junior Jason Polydoris won the 5,000m. He notched a season-best time of 14:36.04 to win by 3.01 seconds.
Junior Brady Yoder and freshman Sofia Munoz joined Buckeridge with second-place finishes in distance events Saturday at Illinois. Yoder’s came in the 3,000m steeplechase to begin the day on the track, as he ran a personal-record 9:14.15. Munoz ran the 1,500m in 4:36.19 to earn the second-place showing in her outdoor collegiate debut.
Freshman Bode Gilkerson also was second in the high jump. He cleared 2.11m on his third attempt, a new PR.
Personal-bests at U of I also were achieved by seniors Gabrielle Green (800m, 2:23.60) and Caleb Williams (1,500m, 3:49.43) and freshman Kaden Stewart (high jump, 2.01m). Junior Grant Gogel (pole vault, 5.00m) and sophomore Collin Kao (pole vault, 5.00m) also tied their PRs on Saturday.
On Friday to begin the weekend, graduate student Cameron Miller broke the school record in the 200m, junior Emma Squires entered the record books in the steeplechase with a victory, and sophomore Kiefer Bell added a win of his own in the steeplechase.
The Boilermakers are back together again next weekend, as they travel to Lexington, Kentucky, for the Jim Green Invitational. The two-day meet, from April 19-20, will give Purdue an early look at this year’s host track for the NCAA East Preliminary Round in late May.
BOILERMAKERS LAND DESTINI LOMBARD, WAC DPOTY
Purdue women’s basketball head coach added the reigning WAC Defensive Player of the Year Destini Lombard as the Boilermakers’ first transfer this offseason.
Lombard spent the last three seasons at Stephen F. Austin after starting her career at LSU. She will have one season of eligibility at Purdue.
The New Iberia, La., native will arrive in West Lafayette with 101 games played over four seasons in her career, averaging 6.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
Lombard guided the Ladyjacks to a 77-24 record over the last three seasons with a WAC Tournament title in 2022 and a pair of postseason appearances, including a bid to the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
As a senior in 2023-24, Lombard emerged as one of the top two-way players in the WAC. Starting all 34 games for the Ladyjacks, Lombard set career highs with 10.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.6 steals per game.
Lombard led the WAC in assist-to-turnover ratio, steals and steals per game, while finishing second in assists and third in assists per game. She ended the year ranked 18th in the nation in steals with 89.
She finished last season as one of seven players in the nation to average 10 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Lombard was among 10 players in the country with 130 assists and 85 steals on the year.
Lombard is one of 20 players since 2018-19 to post 140 rebounds, 130 assists and 85 steals in a season. Per Cerebro Sports, Lombard was the No. 1-ranked guard in the nation in RAM, an efficiency metric that factors in stats on both sides of the ball.
Prior to her three seasons at SFA, Lombard appeared in four games as a freshman at LSU during the pandemic-shortened season.
In high school, Lombard tallied 1,182 points, 661 rebounds, 478 steals, 315 assists and 215 blocked shots as a four-time all-district honoree at Fort Bend Hightower High School. She guided Hurricanes to a state quarterfinals appearance and earned all-state honors.
Lombard is the second transfer from the WAC during the Gearlds era, joining two-year starter . Harper was named the 2022 WAC Player of the Year.
TWO BOILERMAKERS SWEEP THE FINAL HOME WEEKEND
and completed unbeaten weekends as Purdue was defeated 2-5 in Sunday’s home finale against No. 62 Nebraska.
Simeunovic pounced on Calvin Mueller early to take a 6-4 first-set lead. He put his foot on the accelerator and came out with a 6-2 win in the second to secure Purdue’s first point of the dual. Seven of Simeunovic’s nine wins have come in straight sets.
With today’s win, Simeunovic completed the weekend sweep and has won three of his last four matches at No. 1 including his first ranked win in that stretch. The freshman is 3-2 in Big Ten play and owns five wins at the top position this spring.
Ali-Khan came out with a gritty win at No. 6. The sophomore dropped the first set but rallied for the reverse sweep. He took a 6-4 win in the second and won the tiebreak set 10-8 to give Purdue its second point. Ali-Khan’s victory was the first completed Big Ten win of his career and his seventh win at No. 6 this spring.
Purdue finishes 6-5 at home which is the best record since the 2021-22 season when the Boilermakers went 6-4 at Schwartz Tennis Center.
Up Next
Purdue will cap off the regular season at Illinois and Northwestern this Friday and Sunday.
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