On Friday, the Purdue Northwest baseball team faced off against Thomas More for a doubleheader, where the Pride secured victories in both games by scores of 8-0 and 5-3.
The Basics

• Records: Purdue Northwest (2-3), Thomas More (3-5)
• Location: Florence, Kentucky
• Non-conference doubleheader game.

The Breakdown
GAME ONE – W (8-0) 7 Innings

• Owen Walkowiak (Crown Point, Ind./Andrean) started on the mound for Purdue Northwest, throwing five shutout innings while striking out three.
• Ethan Imlach (Mokena, Ill./Mount Carmel), AJ Reid (Highland, Ind./Highland), Kam Earley (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights), Bret Matthys (Cedar Lake, Ind./Hanover Central), Dan Puplava (Portage, Ind./Portage) , Cole Olson (Stanton, Mich./Central Montcalm), and Joey Guiliano (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) all contributed hits for the Pride.
• Brett Matthys led the way offensively with a two-run double in the first inning.
• Dennis started and threw six innings for Thomas More, allowing four runs while striking out six.
• Purdue Northwest struck early, with Brett Matthys driving in two runs on a double to left field in the first inning.
• The game remained a pitching duel until the fifth when AJ Reid (Highland, Ind./Highland) singled to center field, bringing in another run.
• The Pride sealed the victory in the seventh, scoring five runs on a combination of singles from Dan Puplava (Portage, Ind./Portage), Cole Olson (Stanton, Mich./Central Montcalm), and Joey Guiliano (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North), pushing the final score to 8-0.

GAME TWO – W (5-3) 7 Innings
Conor Pangburn (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) started on the mound for Purdue Northwest, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing one earned run while striking out five. Eric Beck (Manteno, Ill/Manteno)  earned the save, throwing a scoreless final inning.
 AJ Reid (Highland, Ind./Highland) led the Pride with two hits and an RBI. Dan Puplava (Portage, Ind./Portage) contributed with an RBI double.
Purdue Northwest opened the scoring in the first inning when B. Matthys reached on a wild pitch after striking out, allowing AJ Reid (Highland, Ind./Highland) to score.
Thomas More responded in the second inning with an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1.
The Pride broke through in the third, with Brett Matthys driving in a run, followed by a Dan Puplava (Portage, Ind./Portage) RBI double and a Cole Olson (Stanton, Mich./Central Montcalm) RBI single to push the lead to 4-1.
Thomas More attempted a comeback in the sixth, scoring two unearned runs, but Purdue Northwest added an insurance run in the seventh when AJ Reid (Highland, Ind./Highland) singled to center, securing the 5-3 victory.

Up Next:
The Pride will return to action on March 9th at home as they take on the Roosevelt Lakers, game is scheduled for a 1:00 PM start.