Purdue Drops First Game of Series to Western Kentucky
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Purdue was defeated in the first game of the three-game series versus Western Kentucky 8-3. The Boilermakers have now lost five contests in a row and in that span have been outscored 42-11.
On Friday, Purdue (6-6) gave up 13 hits, including five doubles to the host Hilltoppers. Western Kentucky (9-4) got off to a quick 2-1 lead after an inning of play and then built some momentum in the bottom of the third inning.
The Hilltoppers got the best of Bo Hofstra (0-1), who started his first game of the year. Hofstra only made it 2.1 innings, giving up seven hits against the 15 batters he faced, when he was hit with a line drive with the bases loaded in the third inning.
Kyle Wade took Hofstra's place on the mound, but Western Kentucky was able to tack on an RBI single against him before he was able to cause a double play to keep Purdue afloat in the ballgame. WKU scored four runs in the inning. The Boilermakers have conceded four-plus runs in an inning five times over the last five games.
Purdue got back into the game momentarily in the top of the fourth when they responded with two runs of their own. Mason Gavre delivered with an RBI single and Kyle LaPlante's sacrifice fly ball added another run for the Boilermakers cutting the lead to 6-3.
The game had a chance to swing Purdue's way in the top of the fifth inning when they loaded the bases with two outs, but were unable to come through with a clutch hit in the moment and weren't able to put the pressure on Western Kentucky again.
Hilltoppers' starter Michael Darrell-Hicks (2-1) struck out a career-high nine over five innings of three-run ball. He fanned six in a row and seven of eight at one point. Jake Kates closed out the victory with four innings of hitless relief, retiring 11 of the 12 batters he faced. A 6-4-3 double play erased the only batter to reach base against him.
Western Kentucky added two insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings to win by the 8-3 margin, including a Jackson Swiney lead-off home run to right center field.
Game 2 of the series is slated for Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
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