WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Bellarmine University baseball team loaded the bases in the ninth, but No. 21 Purdue was able to hold off the Knights in pulling out a 7-4 win at Alexander Field.
Undefeated Purdue (14-0) captured both contests against Bellarmine (2-14) in the series, which was limited to two games due to inclement weather. The Boilermakers have the longest active winning streak in the nation, which has reached 15 dating back to last year's season finale.
Matt Higgins had a huge game for Bellarmine. The senior left fielder bashed a solo homer in the seventh for his fourth long ball of the season. He preceded that with a pair of doubles while going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Higgins' homer cleared the batter's eye in center field, where the wall is 408 feet. One member of Purdue's athletics staff working the game relayed that Higgins' shot may have been the longest ever hit at Alexander Field.
Bellarmine had a relatively sizable advantage in hits at 12 to Purdue's seven. However, the Knights left 10 runners on base to only four for the Boilermakers. Senior shortstop
Clayton Mehlbauer and senior first baseman
Jacob Mulcahy joined Higgins with multiple hits, both collecting two.
Bellarmine had a chance until the final out. Trailing by three in the ninth, the Knights loaded the bases with two outs on a single by Mehlbauer and walks by senior third baseman
Colin Bertsch and Mulcahy, but Purdue was able to turn back the threat with a game-ending strikeout.
Higgins had an RBI double in the first and scored on a passed ball. In the third, he doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior designated hitter
Ethan English. Higgins' seventh-inning homer was his third in the last four games.
Junior righthander
Nolan Pender regrouped after a tough outing in the series opener to allow a single run in 3.0 innings of relief. He allowed two hits and struck out three.
Bellarmine will play at 11 a.m. (ET) Wednesday at Louisville.
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