This weekend is the biggest weekend of not just this season, but for a while for Purdue baseball. The program last made the NCAA Tournament in 2018, when it was a 2 seed in the Chapel Hill regional and went 2-1. The last time Purdue was in position to return to the tournament was in 2024, when the Boilers were 30-15 after winning the first game of a series with Indiana. The Boilers were even leading the Big Ten at the time, but collapsed to lose 9 of the last 11 games that year and miss the field.
This year Purdue heads to Los Angeles with four weekends remaining and a chance to once again make the NCAA Tournament. The Trojans present the last chance for Purdue to add Tier 1 wins onto its profile, so taking at least one game from USC would be excellent. A series win probably gets Purdue above the “Last Four In” mark of tournament projections.
Purdue (28-12, 15-6 Big Ten) at #21 USC (31-11, 13-8 Big Ten)April 24-26 / Stream B1G+Series Opener: Friday, April 24 at 10 p.m. ETMiddle Game: Saturday, April 25 at 5 p.m. ETSeries Finale: Sunday, April 26 at 4 p.m. ETDedeaux Field / Los Angeles, CaliforniaAll-Time Series: First MeetingsPROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPSFriday: Cole Van Assen (Jr, RHP) vs. USC’s Mason Edwards (Jr, LHP)Saturday: Zach Erdman (Sr, LHP) vs. USC’s Grant Govel (So, RHP)Sunday: Austin Klug (Sr, RHP) vs. USC’s Andrew Johnson (So, RHP)
Although USC is ranked in the top 25, the teams have been headed in opposite directions the last few weeks. Purdue has won seven consecutive Big Ten games to move into third place in the league. USC has lost six of its last nine. It does have a sweep of Iowa in LA, but it was swept by No. 1 UCLA and then last week it got swept at Nebraska. The Cornhuskers even won two of the games via run rule as they scored 36 runs over the course of the weekend.
USC has been a different team at home vs. on the road. They are 22-1 at Dedeaux Field, with the lone loss coming at the hands of sixth ranked Oregon State in a midweek game. Purdue did defeat the Beavers though back in February, so they should be able to compete.
The Trojans are second in the Big Ten in ERA (3.91), batting average against (.215) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.3). Mason Edwards (1.49 ERA, .142 B/Avg, 107 Ks in 60 1/3 IP) and Grant Govel (3.05 ERA, .204 B/Avg, 60 K vs 8 BB in 59 IP) are arguably the most formidable combination of Friday and Saturday starters in the country. They’ve combined for seven of USC’s eight shutout wins.
ACTIVE STREAKS• Avery Moore: 15-game on-base; 10-game hit; 13-game on-base in Big Ten play; 7-game hit in Big Ten play• Quincy Malbrough: 11-game-hit; 8-game hit in Big Ten play• Sam Flores: 13-game on-base in Big Ten play• Westin Boyle: 10-game on-base; 7-game hit in Big Ten play• Eli Anderson: 6-game hit• CJ Richmond: 6-game on-base• Zach Zychowski: 6-game on-base in Big Ten play• Jake Kramer: 16 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings• Gavin Beuter: 9 1/3 consecutive innings without allowing an earned runBOILERMAKERS AMONG THE TOP 10 IN THE BIG TEN• Aaron Manias: 1st in OBP (.510), 4th in HBP (16)• Eli Anderson: 1st in Steals (17)• Trevor Kester-Johnson: 2nd in Appearances (25); Also T-2nd Nationally• Austin Klug: T-4th in Victories (6)• Jake Kramer: T-5th in Appearances (21), T-6th in Saves (6)• Sam Flores: 6th in Hits (59), T-7th in Doubles (13), 9th in RBI (43), 10th in Total Bases (99), 10th in Avg (.371)• Zach Erdman: 6th in Fewest Walks per 9 Innings (2.28)• Westin Boyle: T-7th in Double (13)• Cole Van Assen: T-8th in Victories (5), 8th in Fewest Walks per 9 Innings (2.38)
Any win Purdue gets this weekend is a big one. It would be among the best the team has all season, as it does own two wins over current top 25 teams in Oregon and Oregon State.