Purdue Sports Update: April 15

Baseball Sweeps Northwestern to Stay Hot In Big Ten, Drops Weeknight game to Miami

Four Boilermakers connected for a home run in support of an eight-strikeout quality start from Austin Klug as Purdue defeated Northwestern 8-3 Sunday to complete a three-game series sweep.

The Boilermakers (25-10, 12-6 Big Ten) have won seven of their last eight games in Big Ten play and improved to 16-5 overall since March 10. They posted their second consecutive sweep of the Wildcats (13-18-1, 5-10 Big Ten) in Chicagoland while improving to 9-1 vs. NU since a rubber game win in April 2023 at Alexander Field.

Purdue scored in each of the first three innings and six of the nine overall in a wire-to-wire victory. Sergio DeCello, Eli Anderson, CJ Richmond and Avery Moore all went deep for the Boilermakers. Richmond’s homer was his eighth of the season (earning a share of the team lead) and 30th career at the NCAA level. Anderson also connected for an opposite-field blast, his first in two seasons as a Boilermaker.

Klug took a two-hit shutout into the seventh inning in his longest outing as a Boilermaker. He gave up consecutive singles to open the bottom of the seventh before handing the ball off to Thomas Howard and the bullpen. Klug struck out two hitters in the first, third and sixth innings; his eight Ks matched Jarvis Evans for the most by a Purdue pitcher this season.

Purdue rallied for runs in the ninth and 10th innings to overcome a one-run deficit and Jake Kramer struck out the 4- and 5-hole hitters with the bases loaded to close out the game as the Boilermakers defeated Northwestern 3-2 Saturday.

Purdue (24-10, 11-6 Big Ten) rallied for a series-clinching win for the third consecutive weekend. The Boilermakers were victorious in their first extra-inning game of the season while posting their first extra-inning win since April 2024 at Rutgers.

Sergio DeCello scored the game-tying run in the top of the ninth after getting hit by a pitch with a 1-2 count to open the inning. Jackson Bessette (double) and Quincy Malbrough (RBI single) teamed up for consecutive two-out hits the following frame to generate the go-ahead run.

Zach Zychowski, Westin Boyle and CJ Richmond teamed up for a highlight reel 4-6-3 double play that saved a run in the bottom of the sixth. Fresh in the game after Dylan Drake was lifted due to injury, Zychowski made an excellent pick behind the second base bag on a sharply hit ball off the bat of Jay Slater that hit the mound on its way back through the box. Boyle caught the flip from Zychowski barehanded, did a 180-degree spin while stepping on the bag with his right foot and made an accurate throw all in one motion. Richmond scooped a low throw at first to complete the twin killing.

Trailing 3-2, Northwestern (13-17-1, 5-9 Big Ten) opened the bottom of the 10th with consecutive singles and then executed a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Purdue opted to intentionally walk 3-hole hitter Ryan Kucherak, who had homered off the batter’s eye in center field to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning. Kramer struck out cleanup man Jack Lausch and 5-hole hitter Noah Ruiz – both of whom had two hits on the day – consecutively to escape the jam and bring the Boilermakers pouring out of the dugout to celebrate a comeback win.

Cole Van Assen and Thomas Howard teamed up for seven zeros on the mound and Purdue scored seven times with two outs in the ninth inning, defeating Northwestern 11-3 in Friday’s series opener.

The Boilermakers (23-10, 10-6 Big Ten) scored six or more runs in an inning for the ninth time this season, all of the extended rallies coming since March 10 as they’ve registered a 14-5 record during that stretch. Purdue has won seven of its last eight games against Northwestern (13-16-1, 5-8 Big Ten) dating back to a rubber game win at Alexander Field in April 2023.

Nine consecutive Boilermakers reached base safely with two outs in the ninth inning. Avery Moore ignited the rally with a long nine-pitch at-bat, eventually drawing the first of Purdue’s five walks in the frame. Dylan Drake followed with a two-run homer on the first pitch of his at-bat, connecting for his fifth long ball of the season and the Boilers’ first in a week’s time.

Van Assen and Howard teamed up to lead Purdue to a series-opening victory for the fifth time this season. Van Assen pitched into the sixth inning for a third straight start and sixth time this year, surrendering two earned runs over 5 2/3 innings. Howard retired the final nine batters of the game in order, needing just five pitches for a 1-2-3 ninth inning after the long break while Purdue was batting around. The Boilers were set to go to closer Jake Kramer for the bottom of the ninth before blowing the game open.

On a night in which the bullpens combined for 14 1/3 scoreless innings, it was Miami (Ohio) that scored twice in the top of the 11th to break a stalemate on the scoreboard, defeating Purdue Baseball 5-3 Tuesday in the first extra-innings game of the season at Alexander Field.

Westin Boyle’s two-out home run in the fourth inning, the first of the freshman’s collegiate career, tied the score at 3-3. It remained that way until Dominic Krupinski delivered a bases-loaded RBI single with one out in the top of the 11th. Six of the first seven RedHawks to come to the plate in the 11th inning enjoyed a productive plate appearance. The Boilermakers (25-11) used three pitchers in the frame.

Graham Kollen (3 IP, 2 H, K) and Trevor Kester-Johnson (3 IP, H, 2 K) both pitched a season-high three innings of scoreless relief, teaming up with Jake Kramer (2 IP, 2 H, 2 K) to help the Boilermakers post seven consecutive zeros from the fourth through the 10th.

Purdue committed three errors for the second time this season, all three coming over the first four innings. An inning-opening error in the top of the third helped Miami (23-12) score a pair of unearned runs.

Women’s Golf Finishes Runner-Up at Boilermaker Spring Classic

In the final tune-up before the 2026 Big Ten Championships, Women’s Golf finished runner-up as hosts of the Boilermaker Spring Classic. Following a final round 291 (+3), the Boilermakers (+9) were three shots back of Illinois (+6) for the team title, while besting third-place finisher South Florida by 18 strokes.

Lauren Timpf (-2) was runner-up on the individual leaderboard, two behind medalist Isabella McCauley (Minnesota) for the best finish of her career and the best placing by a Boilermaker this season. The sophomore played the par 5s 5-under throughout the tournament, ranking third in the 94-player field. Following under-par rounds of 71 (-1) and 70 (-2) on Sunday, Timpf added a 73 (+1) in the final round. She finished strong with a bogey-free back nine, adding a two-putt birdie at the par-5 14th and making another birdie on No. 17.

Samantha Brown carded the best round of the day on Monday, a 3-under 69 to etch her name in the Purdue record book. It was Brown’s sixth round in the 60s throughout the year, matching a single-season school record. She recorded four birdies, while only making a team-low one bogey, to move into a tie for fifth and secure her fifth Top 10 performance of the season.

Ashley Kim and Ida Lindqvist tied for 12th at 6-over. Kim placed in the Top 20 for the sixth time in her first year as a Boilermaker, making a team-high 10 birdies and ranking third in the field in par-5 scoring (-5). Meanwhile, Lindqvist produced the lowest 54-hole total and best finish of her career, cracking the Top 15 for the first time. 

Competing as an indivudal, sophomore Michaela Headlee played her best golf over her two seasons. With the help of 10 birdies throughout the tournament, ranking fourth in the field, she carded a career-low 218 (73-72-73). The Carmel, Indiana, native played the par 5s 5-under to rank third in the field. At 2-over par after 54 holes, Headlee placed ninth for the first Top 10 of her career. 

Up next, the Boilermakers enter postseason play. After venturing to the east coast the past two years to compete for a conference title, Purdue travels more than 2,000 miles for this season’s B1G Championships. The league tournament is set to take place at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale, California (April 24-26).

Softball Swept By Indiana

The Boilers were shutout 9-0 in game three against Indiana Sunday night at Andy Mohr Stadium. 

Purdue (26-15, 6-9 Big Ten) earned a lone hit in the game on a leadoff single from Khloe Banks in the top of the first. 

The Hoosiers earned seven hits on the afternoon through the five innings, but a five-run third ultimately took down the Boilers.

Banks led off the game with an infield single, but that turned into the only hit of the game for Purdue. 

Indiana plated nine runs over five innings, including one in the second, five in the third, and three in the fourth.

The Boilers used three pitchers, with Gossett going the first two, before Brianna Fontenot came in relief in the third. Fontenot was unable to stop the bleeding, and Brooke Perez came in final relief, earning the last two outs in a scoreless performance.

The Hoosiers hit three homers, with five extra-base hits, creating a deficit the Boilers were unable to overcome.

Purdue fell 5-1 to Indiana in game two of the series, marking its third-consecutive Big Ten series loss.

Purdue (26-14, 6-8 Big Ten) was held to just three hits on the afternoon, two from senior Khloe Banks, and one from Anna Moore. Moore’s homer was the lone run scored for the Boilers, with the Hoosiers (30-10, 9-5 Big Ten) working six scoreless frames after the solo shot in the first.

The Boilers jumped on top early with a solo home run from the freshman, Moore, but Indiana responded immediately in the bottom of the inning, earning a run of its own to even the score.

The Hoosiers added two more runs in the second and third innings, with the help of four batters being hit by a pitch, three in the third inning. 

Brooke Perez came to the mound in the third, pitching 3.2 scoreless innings in relief, but while leaving four runners on base, and racking up seven strikeouts, Purdue was unable to close the deficit in the rivalry loss.

Purdue dropped the series opener at rival Indiana falling 4-1Friday evening at Andy Mohr Field.

Purdue (26-13, 6-7 Big Ten) was held to five hits on the night, two from Indianapolis native, Anna Moore, while Indiana (29-10, 8-5 Big Ten) produced clutch hitting, including a pair of home runs, to secure the win.

In the hunt for the record book, the Boilers added an RBI and a run scored keeping them on pace to break into both categories this season.

After a scoreless first inning, Indiana broke through in the second on a solo home run from Ellie Goins. Purdue answered in the fourth, taking advantage of a Hoosier error. Moore singled and advanced to third before Delaney Reefe delivered an RBI single to center to even the game at one apiece. 

The Hoosiers responded in the fifth, launching a solo home run to right to reclaim the lead. Indiana added insurance in the sixth inning, stringing together two runs on a pinch-hit two RBI single to extend the margin to 4-1.

Moore led the Boilermakers at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Reefe accounted for Purdue’s lone RBI, finishing 1-for-3. Haley Painter and Khloe Banks also each added a hit for the Boilermakers.

In the circle, Julia Gossett (10-7) tossed a complete game, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out five.

4x400m Sets School Record to Close Out Spec Towns Invitational

Track & Field’s men’s 4x400m sets a new school record (3:02.15) to close out Purdue’s strong weekend at the Spec Towns Invitational that featured 10 top 10 performances in school history.

Men’s Notes
• The 4x400m team of Victory Achakpoekri, Samuel Vessat, Zach Mylenek and Zyan Greene’s time of 3:02.15 shattered the previous record of 3:03.64 set last season. At the time of the race, the performance was fifth in the country and best by a Big Ten team by over two seconds.
• Elliot Ryba cleared a person best 2.16m (7-01.00) to finish third in a stacked high jump field. The clearance is tied for a top 10 mark nationally this season.
• Seamus Malaski closed out Purdue’s field events with a fifth-place finish in the discus (53.89m / 176-09).
• Zion Jackson qualified for the 110mH finals for a third consecutive meet and finished sixth (14.20).
• Jordan Moulton took eighth in the 100m (10.85).

Women’s Notes
• Purdue’s 400m duo of Alexia Smith (51.89) and Gia Clay (52.73) run the No. 3 and No. 6 times in program history. They finished second and fifth at the Spec Towns Invitational. Smith’s time is 16th in the nation. 
• Britannie Johnson had a big improvement in her shot put ranking jumping up to No. 3 in school history after she threw 16.23m (53-03.00). The mark places her 30th in the nation.
• The 4x400m team of Alexia Smith, Marissa Palmer, Ashley Odiase and Gia Clay ran 3:32.04 to enter Purdue’s rankings at No. 4. It was the fastest performance by the Boilermakers since the school record of 3:26.71 was set on May 26, 2018.
• The 4x100m of Nia Wilson, Palmer, Odiase and Jayla Cooper took a runner-up finish in the event.
• Blessing Gideon jumped a wind-legal 12.67m (41-07.00) to move up in the record book to No. 8. She had a further jump, a wind-aided 12.80m (42-00.00) that placed her seventh.
• Amarianna Lofton cleared 1.80m (5-10.75) to enter the top 30 nationally at the time of her performance. The clearance placed her fourth in a stacked field on Saturday.
• Twin duo of Britannia (52.39m / 171-10) and Britannie Johnson (51.90m / 170-03) placed fourth and sixth in the discus.
• Nia Wilson ran a wind-legal 11.53 in the 100m to tie her No. 8 mark in school history.

Next Up
Purdue gears up for its penultimate regular season meets of the outdoor season with split squad action between the Wake Forest Invitational (April 16-17) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and the Tom Jones Memorial (April 17-18) in Gainesville, Florida.

Men’s Tennis Splits Final Home Matches

Coming off a win vs. Nebraska on Friday, the men’s tennis team surged early against the No. 35 Wisconsin Badgers on a windy day at Schwartz Tennis Center before ultimately falling, 2-4.

Purdue’s strong start included winning the doubles point behind a 7-5 win at position 2 and a 6-4 win at position 3. Then, freshman Jacob Lee was the first the finish in singles play, securing a 6-3, 6-4 win for the Boilermakers.

Lee leads Purdue this season with eight singles victories (8-5 overall record, 5-4 Big Ten).

With the loss, Purdue falls to 5-15 (1-10 Big Ten).

 The Purdue Boilermakers upended the No. 58 Nebraska Cornhuskers, 4-1 for the team’s first win of Big Ten play, allowing just one point due to a retirement.

The victory was highlighted by Nour Fathalla’s fourth win against a ranked opponent this season after downing No. 112 Nikolay Sysoev 7-6(5), 6-3 and the team’s first doubles point win in Big Ten play this season.

Following a multi-set comeback by the Huskers to tie the match at the No. 2 position at 6-6, the Boilermakers came from behind in the tiebreaker. After evening the match at 5-5 and 6-6, Nour Fathalla and Stefan Simeunovic reclaimed the lead, and taking the match 7-6(6).

Then, down to the No. 1 position for the doubles point decider, Nebraska posed a multi-set comeback to tie it at 5-5, however Purdue re-gained the momentum and dominated the tiebreak for the team point win with a 7-5(2) victory.

It was Purdue’s third doubles win overall this season (first in Big Ten action).

Meanwhile, Purdue carried its momentum into singles play, picking up four Set 1 wins. Despite a retirement by the Boilermakers, which gave the Huskers the dual-tying point at 1-1, freshman Nikola Jovic was the first court to finish, dominating his match with a pair of 6-4 wins. Henrik Villanger clinched the dual for the Boilers, 6-4, 6-4.

One week remains in the regular season. The Boilermakers will travel to Michigan next weekend, taking on Michigan on Friday at 6 p.m. ET followed by Michigan State on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.

Women’s Tennis Drops Pair

In the home season-finale, the women’s tennis squad dropped a 0-4 decision to No. 53 Penn State. With the result, Purdue falls to 7-12 (3-8 Big Ten).

In the first set tiebreak for Ece Gencer, the sophomore came from behind, trailing 4-6 before taking a 7-6 lead. Ultimately, they tied the set 6-6, 7-7, 8-8 before eventually Gencer pulled it out at 10-8 for the set victory.

Purdue fell in shutout fashion to the No. 3 nationally-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday afternoon. Despite the loss, Ece Gencer led the No. 5-ranked singles player after the first set in singles before the match went abandoned.

Gencer came from behind in Set 1, tying the match at 5-5, then leading 6-5, before No. 5 Luciana Perry forced a tiebreak. Locked in a tight battle that saw Gencer hold set point twice, Perry’s persistence led to the eventual 8-6 tiebreak win for Gencer. Ultimately, the match was clinched by the Buckeyes shortly after, leaving the match unfinished.

Although the Boilermakers fell in the doubles point, the sister duo of Ashlie and Kathryn fought hard against No. 22 pairing in the nation, though the match ultimately went unfinished at 5-5.

One week remains in the regular season, with Purdue traveling to the west coast, where the team will play at USC on Friday at 5 p.m. ET, followed by at UCLA on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.

Big Ten slate announced for soccer

 The Big Ten conference announced the 2026 Big Ten slate on Tuesday, bringing six home conference matches to Folk Field.

The conference slate is set to open Thursday, Sept. 10 with an away match at UCLA. The Boilers will then head to the neighboring Trojans of USC to play on Sunday, Sept. 13.

The Boilers will take on six Big Ten opponents that made NCAA Regional appearances in 2025 (UCLA, Illinois, Penn State, Michigan State, Ohio State, Northwestern), with four of the six advancing to at least the second round. Michigan State and Ohio State both made deep runs, both falling in the semifinals.

The Boilers will head to Rutgers on Sept. 20, after the west coast trip, before returning to West Lafayette for the conference home opener on Sept. 24 against Illinois. To close out the second week of conference play, Purdue will also host Minnesota (9/27).

Purdue will then head back on the road for a lone match at Penn State (10/3) to begin October, and will then return to Folk Field for a three-game homestand taking on Michigan (10/8), Michigan State (10/11), and Ohio State (10/18). 

Wrapping up the regular season, the Boilermakers will take on two more road games, at rival Indiana (10/22) and at Northwestern (10/25), before finishing with a final match at Folk Field against Nebraska (10/30).

The Big Ten conference tournament begins Oct. 31 where the top 10 teams will clash for the Big Ten Championship crown.

There is free admission to all Purdue home games at Folk Field.