SUGAR LAND, Texas — The Holy Cross baseball team bounced back to earn a dominating Game 2 win and a doubleheader split with Purdue on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Constellation Field.
After falling by a score of 14-4 in the opener, Holy Cross (1-2) put together a complete effort in Game 2 of the twinbill to earn its first victory of the season. The Crusaders were paced by strong pitching all contest long and offensive contributions across the lineup, and scored seven runs in the ninth to pull away for a 12-3 victory over the Big Ten opponent.
GAME ONE
Purdue 14, Holy Cross 4 (seven innings)
STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross
Jones (2-for-3, two RBI)
Casserly (2-for-3, double, run scored)
Scanlon (three walks, HBP)
Purdue
Toetz (2-for-3, double, home run, six RBI)
Parr (2-for-4, double, two RBI)
Suval (4.0 IP, one run, two hits, two strikeouts)
THE DECISION:
W: Suval (1-0)
L: DiLauro (0-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- An error allowed Purdue (2-1) to score two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
- Sophomore third baseman Connor Peek was hit by a pitch in the top of the second, and junior catcher Patrick Casserly doubled to put runners on second and third with only one out. Junior left fielder Jake McElroy reached on an error to load up the bases; freshman second baseman CJ Egrie brought Peek home with a sac fly. Sophomore shortstop Brendan Jones then hit a two-run single to left field to put Holy Cross in the lead, 3-2.
- Purdue used a bases-loaded RBI groundout to even the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the second. A bases-clearing double later allowed the Boilermakers to take a 6-3 lead.
- A sac fly and a three-run homer in the fourth extended the Purdue lead to 10-3. That lead grew to 13-3 by the sixth inning.
- Sophomore designated hitter Sean Scanlon scored on a wild pitch, bringing Holy Cross within 13-4, in the top of the seventh.
- Back-to-back doubles gave Purdue a 14-4 lead, which put a 10-run rule into effect and concluded the game.
GAME TWO
Holy Cross 12, Purdue 3
STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross
Benton (3-for-4, home run, two RBI, three runs scored)
Egrie (3-for-6, two doubles, RBI, two runs scored)
Jaszcz (3-for-5, RBI)
Fox (W, 2.0 IP, no hits, no runs, one strikeout)
Remley (4.0 IP, one run, two hits, three strikeouts)
Macchiarola (S, 3.0 IP, five strikeouts)
Purdue
Stevens (2-for-4, home run, three RBI)
Thompson (1-for-4, double)
THE DECISION:
W: Fox (1-0)
L: Backer (0-1)
S: Macchiarola (1)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Holy Cross led off the first inning with back-to-back doubles from Egrie and Scanlon to take a 1-0 lead quickly. Senior first baseman Chris Benton drove home Scanlon with a single up the middle to build a 2-0 advantage.
- In his first career start, senior right-hander Luke Fox pitched two no-hit innings. Benton helped build Holy Cross' lead to 3-0 with an inside-the-park home run, and the Boilermakers did not get on the board until the bottom of the third, when Jo Stevens sent a solo homer to left-center.
- Sophomore left fielder Connor Cooney stole home in the top of the fourth inning, making it a 4-1 contest.
- The Crusaders strung together three straight two-out singles in the fifth inning, with freshman third baseman Cam Bryant driving in Benton to extend the Holy Cross advantage to 5-1.
- Purdue cut the Holy Cross lead in half with a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning. Freshman pitcher Danny Macchiarola, making his Holy Cross debut, struck out the final batter of the frame to end the threat.
- The Crusaders rattled off seven runs in the top of the ninth to blow open the lead.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- Benton's hit in the first inning of Game 2 was his first base hit in a Holy Cross uniform.
- Jaszcz recorded his first collegiate hit in the first contest.
- This marks the first time since 2018 that Holy Cross has won a contest in its opening weekend of the season. Holy Cross defeated then-No. 24 Houston in 2018; since then, Holy Cross has faced then-No. 15 Baylor (2019), South Carolina (2020), then-No. 21 Boston College (single contest in 2021) and Troy (2022) in season-opening series.
- Saturday's win is Holy Cross' first win over a Big Ten opponent since Holy Cross defeated then-No. 25 Nebraska in an NCAA Tournament game in 2017.
DUE UP:
- The Crusaders and Boilermakers round out the weekend series with a single contest on Sunday, Feb. 19.
- First pitch at Constellation Field is set for 2 p.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS
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