Purdue Squanders Lead, Loses to No. 23 North Carolina in Extra Innings
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Purdue fell to North Carolina 6-5 as the Tar Heels walked it off with and RBI-double in extra innings in the bottom of the 10th inning. The Boilermakers once lead 4-0 in the ballgame, but couldn't maintain the lead and North Carolina's bats were sparked by scoring all six runs in the last four innings.
Purdue (6-4) lost all three contests this weekend in the Cambria College Classic versus three top-25 foes from the ACC. However, this one will sting in Coach Greg Goff's clubhouse, as the Boilermakers were nine outs away from a quality win with a four-run cushion.
Instead, No. 23 North Carolina (8-4) bounced back and rallied against the Purdue bullpen.
The Boilermakers' starter Jett Jackson pitched a gem going six innings of work only giving up one base hit. Jackson retired 18 of the 21 batters he faced and managed five strikeouts.
Purdue maintained a 1-0 lead they obtained in the first frame courtesy of turning Skyler Hunter's leadoff double into a run from a single by Ben Nisle. Hunter is currently on a seven game hit streak.
The Boilermakers cushioned their lead in the top of the sixth inning due to two opposite-field doubles by Miles Simington and Nisle. Justin Fugitt entered the game as a pinch hitter and delivered a RBI-single, as well, to give Purdue a 4-0 lead. Before the solid inning at the plate, the sixth inning provided the Boilermakers difficulties this weekend as they were previously outscored 8-0 in the frame.
North Carolina, however, waited until the seventh inning to strike and they did it against the most consistent arm in the Purdue bullpen, closer Bo Hofstra. Hofstra gave up five hits and three runs, including a two-run home run, in the inning and the Tar Heels cut the deficit to just one run down. Entering the day, Hofstra had not allowed a hit in 5.2 innings pitched over three appearances this season.
Purdue found an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning where Ryan Howe laid down a squeeze bunt that plated Simington after he reached via leadoff walk.
North Carolina responded by tying the game after capitalizing on consecutive single to begin the bottom of the eighth inning. An inning later, all tied up 5-5, the Tar Heels had a chance to walk it off, but Eric Hildebrand came in for Purdue and got out of a bases loaded jam to send it into extras.
Patrick Alvarez got on the base paths in the bottom of the 10th and then Clemente Inclan's double provided the difference scoring Alvarez from first and gave North Carolina the walk-off victory 6-5.
The Boilermakers return to action Wednesday when they open midweek play with a 3 p.m. ET non-conference game at rival Indiana.
Related items on Purdue baseball
- TWITTER: Follow our Sports Illustrated Purdue account at @sports_purdue
- MORE TWITTER: Follow Purdue baseball writer Brett Douglas CLICK HERE
- FACEBOOK: Follow our Sports Illustrated Purdue page at Facebook.com/SportsIllustratedPurdue
- PURDUE SCHEDULE: Here's the complete 2020 baseball schedule CLICK HERE
- PURDUE ROSTER: Here's the complete 2020 baseball roster CLICK HERE
- PURDUE STATISTICS: Individual statistics through four games. CLICK HERE