Nebraska Walked Off by Purdue After Weather Delay in Dramatic Ninth-Inning Finish
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Under gray skies and on a field still damp from a two-hour weather delay, Nebraska baseball suffered a gut-wrenching 6-5 walk-off loss to Purdue Friday night at Alexander Field, knotting the final regular-season series at one game apiece.
What began as a promising night for the Cornhuskers unraveled in dramatic fashion. Nebraska carried a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth, leaning on senior closer Colby Gomes, who had converted nine saves on the season. But a resilient Boilermakers lineup, galvanized by the energy of their home crowd and the urgency of their postseason hopes, had other plans.
After retiring the first batter, Gomes issued a full-count walk to Purdue’s Kyle Feniger. A bloop single by freshman Chase Pratt followed, placing runners at first and second. A brief mound visit couldn’t stem the momentum. With the crowd on its feet, junior infielder Jake Parrish roped a hard-hit double into the left-center gap, plating Feniger to tie the game. The throw home was off-line, allowing the winning run—Pratt—to slide in safely and set off a frenzied celebration around second base.
The loss was especially bitter for the Huskers, who had led for most of the night. Right-hander Jackson Brockett delivered six strong innings, scattering seven hits and allowing three earned runs while striking out five. Offensively, Nebraska struck early, with Josh Caron launching a two-run homer in the third, his 13th of the season. Max Anderson added a key RBI single in the fifth to extend the lead to 5-2.
But Purdue chipped away. A solo home run in the sixth by senior outfielder Owen Trueblood brought the Boilermakers within two. They inched closer with an RBI groundout in the seventh. A looming storm halted play shortly after, forcing a delay that seemed to reset Purdue’s mindset and stall Nebraska’s momentum.
“We didn’t execute late,” head coach Will Bolt said postgame. “You give free bases in the ninth, and at this level, teams are going to make you pay. Credit to Purdue—they took advantage.”
The loss drops Nebraska to 31-21 (15-8 Big Ten), while Purdue improves to 28-25 (12-11 Big Ten), keeping their conference tournament hopes alive. With one game left in the regular season, both teams have plenty to play for—seeding, pride, and, in Purdue’s case, survival.
Saturday’s rubber match is scheduled for 1:05 p.m., weather permitting. The Huskers will send sophomore righty Drew Christo to the mound in hopes of salvaging the series and regaining momentum ahead of the Big Ten Tournament. For Purdue, it’s a chance to close the regular season with an exclamation mark—and perhaps, a miracle.
