Purdue (24-13) won for the eighth time in the last nine games, posting a double-figure run total for the third game in a row and 14th time this season. The Boilermakers have racked up 48 runs over their last three games and scored 10-plus in three consecutive games twice this year. Ball State (23-14) arrived at Alexander Field having won 11 of its last 12 games.
Tuesday’s win was also the 100th victory for Greg Goff as the head coach at Purdue.
Caskenette’s grand slam in the seventh inning ended the game early via the 10-run rule. Purdue’s cleanup hitter also connected for a three-run double in a seven-run third inning, posting the first seven-RBI game by a Boilermaker since Ted Snidanko in March 2015. The 426-foot grand slam was Caskenette’s second slam of the season, marking the second year in a row a Boilermaker has hit two after Jake Jarvis did it as part of his 10-homer campaign in 2023.
Luke Gaffney and Caskenette both hit their eighth home runs of the season. As Purdue’s 3-4 combination in the lineup, they have a combined 93 RBI while being the second (Gaffney) and third (Caskenette) fastest Boilermakers since 2001 to reach the 40-RBI mark.
Cole Van Assen gave the Boilermakers another quality midweek outing, working a season-high five innings of two-run ball. The freshman did not issue a walk and both runs he allowed came on solo homers. Van Assen has surrendered no more than two runs in seven of his eight appearances this season, recording at least eight outs in all of them.
Jo Stevens also reached base safely four times, accounting for three of the 14 free passes (11 walks, 3 HBP) drawn by Purdue hitters. Stevens’ RBI single in the third inning extended his career-long hit streak to 12 consecutive games, matching Camden Gasser for the longest on the team this season.
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Jo Stevens – 23-game on-base streak; 12-game hit streak; 16-game on-base streak at home
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 16-game on-base streak; 8-game hit streak
• Luke Gaffney – 15-game on-base streak; 7-game hit streak
• Connor Caskenette – 13-game on-base streak
• Keenan Spence – 10-game on-base streak
• Couper Cornblum – 90 consecutive games started (since start of 2023)
Purdue continues its nine-game homestand this weekend with a three-game series vs. first-time visitor East Tennessee State. First pitch Friday is slated for 6 p.m. ET.