LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After 13 games away from Knights Field to start 2022, the Bellarmine University baseball team will make its long-awaited home debut when the Knights welcome Morehead State for a 2 p.m. (ET) contest Wednesday.
Bellarmine (1-12) won't remain on its home turf long, as the Knights will cap the week with a three-game series at No. 21 and undefeated Purdue (12-0). The start of the series was moved up one day to 4 p.m. (ET) Thursday. Inclement weather is anticipated, with the Boilermakers' website denoting "remainder of schedule TBD" after Thursday, but the hope is to get three games completed in a Thursday-Sunday window.
Morehead State (5-7) captured two of three last weekend in a home series against Eastern Michigan. The Eagles dropped the opener 6-4 but responded with victories of 15-14 and 5-4. In its two previous weekend series, Morehead State went 2-2 against Canisius at home after opening the season by going 1-3 at Kennesaw State, Bellarmine's ASUN brethren.
Three MSU players carry a batting average over .300. Nick Gooden is the leader at .387 while Jackson Feltner is next at .372 and Ryley Preece follows at .310. Feltner and Preece are tied for the team lead in homers at three apiece. Feltner is the RBI leader with 13. Morehead State's team ERA is 5.99.
The Eagles were picked to finish third in the OVC in the league's preseason poll. Feltner is the reigning OVC Freshman of the Year and was selected preseason All-OVC as well as a third-team preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball. Last season, he ranked second among all true freshmen in Division I with a .390 batting average. He amassed 11 homers, 10 doubles and 42 RBIs.
Purdue's program-record 12-0 start has earned the team a spot in the national rankings as the Boilermakers debuted at No. 21 in Collegiate Baseball's weekly poll. Purdue capped its third straight 4-0 week Sunday with Cam Thompson's 11th-inning walk-off home run against Longwood.
Purdue opened the season with four-game sweeps of South Dakota State and Princeton. The Boilermakers defeated Charlotte in a midweek contest before a three-game sweep of Longwood. Purdue played South Dakota State in Sugar Land, Texas, and Princeton and Longwood in Holly Springs, North Carolina, so 11 of the Boilermakers' 12 games have been neutral-site contests — the outlier was the game at Charlotte.
Purdue's pitching has been exceptional, with the Boilermakers carrying a 2.68 team ERA. Jackson Smeltz (3-0, 1.65 ERA, 28 strikeouts, 16.1 innings), Troy Wansing (1-0, 1.64, 15, 11.0) and Wyatt Wendell (2-0, 4.00, 17, 18.0) have combined for 10 starts.
Purdue boasts five hitters with at least 31 at-bats who are hitting .306 or higher. CJ Valdez is leading the way at .419. Thompson is batting .357 and has racked up 19 RBIs. The Boilermakers are dangerous on the base paths, stealing 41 bags in 48 attempts.
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