Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes at Purdue Boilermakers

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (Interstat) — The Purdue Boilermakers, boasting one of the Big Ten’s top records, will host the Ohio State Buckeyes to open a three-game conference series on Friday at Alexander Field.

First pitch is scheduled for Friday, April 17, 2026, under partly cloudy skies with temperatures near 75 degrees.

Purdue (24-11) enters with significant momentum, having won eight of its last 10 games, including a conference series sweep at Northwestern last weekend. The Boilermakers’ most recent outing was an 11-inning, 5-3 midweek loss to Miami (Ohio) on Tuesday, in which reliever Trevor KesterJohnson delivered three scoreless innings.

Ohio State (19-16) looks to rebound after a 11-7 home loss to Marshall on Wednesday. The Buckeyes took two of three from Penn State in their last Big Ten series but have been inconsistent in midweek non-conference play.

A key matchup will feature Ohio State’s hot-hitting Dane Harvey against a stout Purdue pitching staff. Harvey, who went 3 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs against Marshall, has driven in 12 runs over his last 10 games, including three home runs.

For Purdue, KesterJohnson has emerged as a reliable arm out of the bullpen. Over his last 10 appearances, he has allowed just one earned run in 6.2 innings pitched, striking out five.

The Boilermakers won the teams’ last meeting, but this series marks their first matchup of the 2026 season. According to Interstat’s game simulator, Friday’s contest projects to be a tight one, with a predicted final score of Purdue 7, Ohio State 6.

The series continues Saturday and Sunday in West Lafayette before both teams embark on extended road trips.