The last few weeks have been rough for Purdue. After starting the season hot with s 20-4 record the Boilermakers are on an eight game losing streak headed into a home series with Rutgers. Even more frustrating, four of the eight losses have been one run affairs, including the middle game at Washington last week. Even the midweek was rough, as Purdue led Indiana State at Alexander Field 7-4 in the eighth before giving up four runs, rallying to tie in the bottom of the inning, and losing 9-8 in 10 innings.
It is safe to say that the team needs a reset. Purdue enters this weekend with a decent overall record of 20-12, but it is just 3-9 in Big Ten play. The hopes are pretty faint at this point for making the NCAA Tournament without a lengthy winning streak, but that is what happened in 2018.
It is also the rare four-game weekend as Purdue has three games in conference play against Rutgers before hosting a solid Arizona State team on Monday afternoon. The Sun Devils are at Cincinnati this weekend in Big 12 play and they agreed to pick up a non-conference game in West Lafayette on their way back to Arizona.
Rutgers (16-17, 5-7 Big Ten) at Purdue (20-12, 3-9 Big Ten)
Series Opener: Friday, April 11 at 6 p.m. ET
Middle Game: Saturday, April 12 at 2 p.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday, April 13 at 1 p.m. ET
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Carter Doorn (Sr, RHP) vs. Rutgers' Landon Mack (Fr, RHP)
Saturday: TBA for Both Teams
Sunday: TBA for Both Teams
Right now Purdue just needs a win. During this losing streak the offense has fallen off dramatically, especially in clutch situations. Purdue had the tying run on base late in each of those four one-run losses and could not get the job done.
Friday starter Carter Doorn has been roughed up in his last two outings, giving up 11 earned runs across 11 innings in his last two starts against UCLA and Washington. At the plate Logan Sutter has fallen off his torrid pace, but Lukas Cook is still in line for the Big Ten batting title with a .411 average.
With 20 games left in the regular season Purdue still has a relatively favorable schedule. Each of its midweek games against Arizona State, Ball State (x2), Austin Peay, and Notre Dame are against solid teams that can rebuild the NCAA resume in a hurry, but they must get back on track in the conference. A series win is much needed this weekend, if not a sweep against a Rutgers team has not swept a series in conference play, but it has not been swept. That ...