On Tuesday, the Purdue Northwest baseball team wrapped up its non-conference series against the University of Indianapolis with a high-scoring doubleheader at Labors' Local 41 Field. Despite explosive starts in both games and a monster day at the plate from AJ Reid (Highland, Ind./Highland), the Pride couldn't hold off the Greyhounds' relentless offense, falling 9-7 in eight innings in Game One and 19-11 in seven innings in Game Two.
 
The Basics

• Records: Purdue Northwest (15-20), Indianapolis (23-18)
• Location: Hammond, Indiana
• Non-conference game

 
The Breakdown
Game Two : L (7-9) – 8 Innings

• Jayden Smith (Allegan, Mich./Allegan) stayed hot at the plate, blasting a two-run homer in the second inning and finishing with two RBIs.
• AJ Reid (Highland, Ind./Highland) turned in a three-RBI performance, including a game-tying two-run single in the seventh and an earlier RBI knock in the fifth.
• Drake Ballard (Louisville, Ky./Martha Laynes Collins) added a double and an RBI in the second, while Owen Winters (Kouts, Ind./Kouts) launched a solo home run in the eighth.
• Brayden Barrett (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) and Joey Guiliano (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) each laid down sacrifice bunts, helping to manufacture key runs in the middle innings.
• Jacob Chajet (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel Catholic) started on the mound, working four innings and giving up four earned runs while striking out three.
• Mitchell Stanton (South Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic) tossed three innings in relief, allowing one earned run on six hits.
• Eric Beck (Manteno, Ill/Manteno) took the loss (1-1), surrendering two unearned runs in the eighth.
• For Indianapolis, B. Bowen delivered a big blow with a three-run home run in the second inning. Aidan Bode added a solo homer and finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. The Greyhounds also took advantage of a passed ball and a defensive miscue in the eighth to tack on three unearned runs and break a 6-6 tie.
• Bestul earned the win (6-4) in relief, throwing 1.2 innings and allowing just one earned run.
• The Pride tied the game 3-3 in the second after Smith's homer and Ballard's RBI double. After trading runs through the middle innings, Reid's two-run single in the seventh pulled the Pride even at 6-6. But three unearned runs by Indianapolis in the top of the eighth proved to be the difference, as Purdue Northwest could only get one back on Winters' solo shot in the bottom half.
• Despite another gritty offensive effort and home runs from Smith and Winters, the Pride were ultimately undone by late defensive lapses and timely Greyhound hitting.

 
The Breakdown
Game Two:  L (11-19) – 7 Innings

• AJ Reid (Highland, Ind./Highland) had another standout performance, going 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs, including a two-run blast in the first and another in the second.
• Drake Ballard (Louisville, Ky./Martha Laynes Collins) scored three times, drove in a run, and stole a base.
• Dan Puplava (Portage, Ind./Portage) had a multi-hit game and drove in a run.
• Owen Winters (Kouts, Ind./Kouts) tallied two hits and an RBI, while Braylon Holland (Hobart, Ind./Andrean) and Kam Earley (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights) also contributed with hits and runs scored.
• The Pride plated three runs in both the first and second innings to take a 6-0 lead, but Indianapolis responded with five in the third and six more in the fourth to seize control.
• Purdue Northwest rallied in the seventh for four runs, including an RBI single from Reid, an RBI groundout from Puplava, and a run-scoring knock from Winters.
• On the mound, seven Pride pitchers combined to give up 19 runs—only six of them earned—as the defense committed four errors.
• Josh Damian (Blue Island, Ill./Eisenhower) took the loss (0-1), allowing five runs (none earned) in one-third of an inning.
• For the Greyhounds, C. Hampton led the way with a 3-for-5 effort, four RBIs, and a home run. A. Bode collected three hits, including a double and a triple, while E. Burkhart and E. Good also went deep.
• Indianapolis took advantage of seven unearned runs in the third and fourth innings, aided by miscues and wild pitches, swinging the momentum in their favor.

 
Up Next

The Pride return to action on Friday, April 25, when they host Grand Valley State for a GLIAC matchup at Dowling Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 3:00 PM.