PREVIEW: Purdue at Iowa

IOWA CITY, Iowa (Interstat) — Purdue and Iowa meet Friday at Duane Banks Field in a Big Ten baseball series opener, with first pitch scheduled for under partly cloudy skies and a game-time temperature of 71 degrees.

The Boilermakers (34-15) enter on a six-game winning streak, including a three-game sweep of Indiana last weekend. They have won 10 of their past 11 contests overall. The Hawkeyes (26-21) dropped two of three at Nebraska last weekend and have lost four of their last six.

Purdue won Thursday’s series opener in a game that went unrecorded in official statistics. The teams continue the three-game set Saturday.

Players to Watch

Purdue outfielder Avery Moore has been on a tear. Over his last 10 games, Moore is batting .407 with three home runs and nine RBIs. He went 4-for-4 with two homers and four RBIs in a 11-8 win over Indiana on May 10, and he has reached base in nine of those 10 contests. Moore is a key catalyst atop the Boilermakers’ lineup that averages 8.2 runs per game.

Iowa counter with reliever Jaron Bleeker, who has been effective in recent outings. He threw 5⅓ scoreless innings with five strikeouts in a May 10 loss at Nebraska, allowing no hits while lowering his ERA to 4.15. Bleeker has permitted just one earned run over his last 9⅓ innings across three appearances, though he also struggled in a May 19 outing against Illinois when he allowed five runs in one inning. The Hawkeyes often deploy him in long relief.

Recent Results

Purdue swept Indiana at home last weekend, outscoring the Hoosiers 27-21. Catcher Jackson Bessette drove in three runs in the finale, and pitcher Jake Kramer threw two scoreless innings. The Boilermakers have not lost since a three-game sweep at Southern California on April 24-26.

Iowa lost 8-6 at Nebraska on Sunday despite Bleeker’s stellar outing. Shortstop Kooper Schulte homered twice and drove in two runs, and pitcher Cole Moore allowed one earned run in one inning. The Hawkeyes have split their last six games.

Simulation Projection

The Interstat game simulator projects an 8-5 victory for Purdue.

Up Next

The series continues Saturday at Duane Banks Field with the same pitching matchups to be announced.