Saturday, May 3
West Lafayette, Ind.
12 p.m. CT
Northwestern
21-23, 10-13
3
at
5
Purdue
27-19, 8-15
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Northwestern
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
3
10
1
Purdue
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
3
X
5
9
0
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Falls in Saturday Doubleheader at Purdue
5/3/2025 8:59:00 PM | Baseball
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Northwestern dropped both ends of a doubleheader at Purdue on Saturday afternoon at Alexander Field.
GAME ONE RECAP
The Boilermakers (27-19, 8-15 Big Ten) got on the board first in the bottom of the second, taking a 1-0 lead on CF Albert Choi's RBI double that brought RF Eli Anderson around to score.
LHP Christian Forniss (1-3) was solid in the start for the 'Cats, allowing one run in 4.2 innings pitched on three hits and three walks, fanning one.
Purdue added a run in the bottom of the sixth on another RBI double, this one by LF Aaron Manias to plate C Houston Russell.
The Boilermakers tacked on another three runs in the bottom of the eighth to extend their advantage to five heading into the ninth.
Northwestern (21-23, 10-13 Big Ten) would not go quietly in the ninth, putting up three runs and bringing the tying run to the plate before falling 5-3. SS Ryan Kucherak put the 'Cats on the board with an RBI double to score 3B Owen McElfatrick. C Bennett Markinson, the hero of Friday night's series opener, singled through the right side, scoring Kucherak to make it 5-2 and bring the tying run to the plate. LF Preston Knott scored on a wild pitch to trim the deficit to 5-3 before the Boilermakers retired a pair of Wildcats to seal the win and set up the rubber match.
GAME TWO RECAP
Purdue (28-19, 9-15 Big Ten) struck first again in the series finale, plating three in the bottom of the first.
The Wildcats (21-24, 10-14 Big Ten) punched back immediately, scoring a pair on a two-run single by 2B Jacob Hand to trim the Boilermaker lead to one.
Northwestern cut the lead again in the top of the sixth, getting a run back on an RBI bunt single by LF Preston Knott, scoring C Bennett Markinson to make it 4-3.
A pinch-hit home run by PH Keenan Spence pushed the Boilermaker lead back to two runs in the bottom of the seventh.
NU fought back again, cutting the Purdue lead back to one run on a sacrifice fly by CF Jack Lausch, scoring Markinson for his second run of the day, making it a 5-4 ballgame.
In the bottom of eighth, Purdue added a pair of unearned runs to stretch its lead to 7-4. NU got one back on a sacrifice fly by Bennett Markinson, bringing PH Griffin Mills home, but fell 7-5 in the rubber match.
RHP Matthew Kouser (4-5) is credited with the loss, surrendering four runs on four hits and one walk in 4.0 innings pitched, striking out three.
Northwestern will open up its final homestand of the season next Friday at Wrigley Field when ti hosts Ohio State at 6 p.m. CT.
GAME ONE RECAP
The Boilermakers (27-19, 8-15 Big Ten) got on the board first in the bottom of the second, taking a 1-0 lead on CF Albert Choi's RBI double that brought RF Eli Anderson around to score.
LHP Christian Forniss (1-3) was solid in the start for the 'Cats, allowing one run in 4.2 innings pitched on three hits and three walks, fanning one.
Purdue added a run in the bottom of the sixth on another RBI double, this one by LF Aaron Manias to plate C Houston Russell.
The Boilermakers tacked on another three runs in the bottom of the eighth to extend their advantage to five heading into the ninth.
Northwestern (21-23, 10-13 Big Ten) would not go quietly in the ninth, putting up three runs and bringing the tying run to the plate before falling 5-3. SS Ryan Kucherak put the 'Cats on the board with an RBI double to score 3B Owen McElfatrick. C Bennett Markinson, the hero of Friday night's series opener, singled through the right side, scoring Kucherak to make it 5-2 and bring the tying run to the plate. LF Preston Knott scored on a wild pitch to trim the deficit to 5-3 before the Boilermakers retired a pair of Wildcats to seal the win and set up the rubber match.
GAME TWO RECAP
Purdue (28-19, 9-15 Big Ten) struck first again in the series finale, plating three in the bottom of the first.
The Wildcats (21-24, 10-14 Big Ten) punched back immediately, scoring a pair on a two-run single by 2B Jacob Hand to trim the Boilermaker lead to one.
Purdue stretched its lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the third when RF Eli Anderson scored on the throw down to first base on a dropped third strike..@Jake_Hand2 plates a pair! pic.twitter.com/5GQH8hqY7n
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) May 3, 2025
Northwestern cut the lead again in the top of the sixth, getting a run back on an RBI bunt single by LF Preston Knott, scoring C Bennett Markinson to make it 4-3.
A pinch-hit home run by PH Keenan Spence pushed the Boilermaker lead back to two runs in the bottom of the seventh.
NU fought back again, cutting the Purdue lead back to one run on a sacrifice fly by CF Jack Lausch, scoring Markinson for his second run of the day, making it a 5-4 ballgame.
In the bottom of eighth, Purdue added a pair of unearned runs to stretch its lead to 7-4. NU got one back on a sacrifice fly by Bennett Markinson, bringing PH Griffin Mills home, but fell 7-5 in the rubber match.
RHP Matthew Kouser (4-5) is credited with the loss, surrendering four runs on four hits and one walk in 4.0 innings pitched, striking out three.
Northwestern will open up its final homestand of the season next Friday at Wrigley Field when ti hosts Ohio State at 6 p.m. CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: VAN ASSEN, Cole (4-3)
L: Forniss, Christian (1-3)
S: KLUG, Austin (1)
Batting:
2B: Kucherak, Ryan 1
RBI: Kucherak, Ryan 1 ; Markinson, Bennett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McElfatrick, Owen 1 ; Kucherak, Ryan 1 ; Knott, Preston 1
SB: Kucherak, Ryan 1
CS: Lausch, Jack 1
Batting:
2B: MANIAS, Aaron 1 ; CHOI, Albert 1
RBI: MANIAS, Aaron 1 ; GILL, Ty 1 ; ANDERSON, Eli 1 ; CHOI, Albert 1
SH: RUSSELL, Houston 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SUTTER, Logan 1 ; RUSSELL, Houston 1 ; ROGERS, Brandon 1 ; GILL, Ty 1 ; ANDERSON, Eli 1
SB: ANDERSON, Eli 1
HBP: ANDERSON, Brandon 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballC/1B
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
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