Purdue Rallies to Top Ball State Baseball, Extend Winning Streak

MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Purdue baseball team scored five runs in the ninth inning Wednesday to tally a come-from-behind, 10-8 victory over Ball State and extend its winning streak to 14 games. The Boilermakers earned a split of the season series between the teams.

Senior Justin Kirkpatrick led Ball State (26-22) offensively with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate and three RBIs at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. His two-run home run in the third inning put BSU on the board, and his RBI single in the fifth came as part of a three-run inning that gave the Cardinals a lead they held until the final frame.

Sophomore Mike Pachmayer's strong relief performance held the Purdue bats in check. After replacing Ball State starter Evan Marquardt and surrendering a pair of runs in the fourth inning, Pachmayer faced just two over the minimum and scattered two more runs over his final four innings of work.

Ball State tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the eighth inning on a John Ricotta opposite-field homer and took an 8-5 lead into the final frame.

But the first two batters for Purdue (29-16) reached against Cardinals reliever Nick Floyd, and then a line drive from Harry Shipley got past a diving Colin Brockhouse in center field. By the time Ball State could corral the ball, Shipley was rounding third and headed home for an inside-the-park home run that tied the game with still no outs.

Two of the next three Purdue batters reached and came around to score on a liner from Ben Nisle as Purdue grabbed its first lead since the fifth inning.

Purdue closer Ross Learnard came on in the bottom of the ninth and recorded all three outs via strikeout. He worked around a two-out triple from Seth Freed to earn the save. Ryan Beard -- one of six Purdue pitchers on the day -- took the win for the Boilermakers despite giving up the Ricotta home run in his only inning of work.

Ball State returns to Mid-American Conference action this weekend with a three-game series at Toledo, starting Friday at 3 p.m. The Cardinals have won their past eight MAC games.

For the most up-to-date information on the Ball State baseball team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateBB and @CoachMaloney.

Purdue Rallies to Top Ball State Baseball, Extend Winning Streak

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Team Stats

Justin Kirkpatrick

Colin Brockhouse

John Ricotta

Noah Powell

Players Mentioned

Colin Brockhouse

Nick Floyd

Seth Freed

Justin Kirkpatrick

Evan Marquardt

Mike Pachmayer

John Ricotta

Players Mentioned

Colin Brockhouse

Nick Floyd

Seth Freed

Justin Kirkpatrick

Evan Marquardt

Mike Pachmayer

John Ricotta