The Purdue Northwest baseball team delivered a dominant offensive performance on Tuesday, cruising to a 20-2 victory over Trinity Christian.

The Basics:

• Records: Purdue Northwest (5-3), Trinity Christian (5-10)
• Location: Hammond, Indiana (Labors' Local 41)
• Non-conference game

The Breakdown

• Joey Guiliano (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) led the charge for the Pride with two hits, including a double, and three RBIs.
• Kam Earley (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights) contributed with two hits, three RBIs, and three runs scored.
• AJ Reid (Highland, Ind./Highland) had a standout game with two hits, including a triple, and four RBIs.
• Dan Puplava (Portage, Ind./Portage) added two RBIs, while Jax Kalemba (Chicago, Ill./Andrean) chipped in with two hits and two RBIs.
• Blake Newell (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) (1-1) picked up the win for Purdue Northwest, pitching 3.1 innings and striking out four while allowing two earned runs.
• Jake Nightingale (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso) closed the game with two perfect innings, striking out four batters.
• After a scoreless first inning, Purdue Northwest broke through in the second. Joey Guiliano (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) singled to right field, driving in Jax Kalemba (Chicago, Ill./Andrean) for the first run of the game. AJ Reid (Highland, Ind./Highland) followed by getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, bringing in Jayden Smith (Allegan, Mich./Allegan) to make it 2-0.
• The Pride exploded for five runs in the third. Drake Ballard (Louisville, Ky./Martha Laynes Collins) started the rally with a two-run single, scoring Kalemba and Cole Olson (Stanton, Mich./Central Montcalm). AJ Reid (Highland, Ind./Highland) was hit by another pitch with the bases loaded, forcing in Smith. Dan Puplava (Portage, Ind./Portage) then delivered a two-run single to cap the inning, giving Purdue Northwest a commanding 7-0 lead.
• Trinity Christian responded in the fifth with two runs. However, Purdue Northwest answered immediately with an eight-run explosion in the bottom of the inning. Dan Puplava (Portage, Ind./Portage) reached on an error to score Kam Earley (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights), and Olson reached on another error, allowing AJ Reid (Highland, Ind./Highland) to score. Kalemba then ripped a two-run single, followed by a three-run single from Earley. Reid capped the rally with an RBI triple, making it 15-2.
• The Pride continued the onslaught in the sixth, scoring five more times. Ballard drew a bases-loaded walk for the first run, followed by Guiliano's two-run double down the right-field line. Owen Bendis (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) added a sacrifice fly, and Reid singled in another run to bring the final score to 20-2.

Up Next
Purdue Northwest will stay at home to face Parkside on March 15th, looking to keep their offensive momentum rolling.