Purdue defeated Longwood 6-1 in the first game of a three-game weekend series on Friday.
Purdue (10-0) had southpaw junior Jackson Smeltz (3-0) start on the mound. Smeltz went seven innings, and gave up just one run on three hits and struck out 10 batters on the day.
Offensively the Boilermakers were led by CJ Valdez and Paul Toetz. The duo combined for four RBIs and both enjoyed two hit days.
Purdue scored first in the third inning off of RBI base hits from Valdez, Toetz and Cam Thompson.
Valdez would double home another runner in the fourth inning, and a Jake Stadler RBI single in the fifth brought the Boilermaker lead to six.
The Lancers (3-7) would score through Hunter Gilliam’s fifth home run of the season in the seventh inning. Gilliam leads the Big South in home runs and is the team leader in RBI with 12.
Redshirt sophomore Andrew Potojecki (1-1) started on the mound for Longwood. Potojecki went five innings, giving up six runs on nine base hits and struck out two. Noah Eaker relieved Potojecki and pitched the last three innings and surrendered just two hits and no runs.
Michael Peterson continues to stay hot as the junior finished 2-for-3 at the plate. Peterson is batting .485 on the season and is 4-for-5 this week.
“We got out played tonight,” Longwood coach Chad Oxendine said. “Purdue plays the game the right way. We have to turn up our focus and get ready to attack the game tomorrow.”
The Lancers get a chance to respond tomorrow at 1 p.m. when they play Purdue in the second game of the weekend series.
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