By Keith Thomas
Editor in Chief

Although the Boiler baseball team knew prior to their matchup with Iowa Monday that they were no longer playing for first place in the Big Ten, motivation to win wasn't lacking.

In their final regular season game of the year, the Boiler batsmen posted 10 runs on 13 hits in front of a rain-soaked crowd, securing second place in the Big Ten.

The offense Monday wasn't the only highlight for Purdue (32-22, 19-7 Big Ten), as the two first-inning Boilermaker runs turned out to be all the support right hander Sean O'Neil and the rest of the Purdue pitching staff would need to hold off the Hawkeyes (19-29, 8-17).

Iowa managed only five hits in the final of a four game series that saw the Boilermakers take three of four games, which happened to be one win short of Purdue's first conference crown in 92 years.

Monday's win, however, was indeed bittersweet for the Boilers, who only days ago — following a 10-7 Ohio State loss to Michigan — found themselves atop the Big Ten leaderboard, needing a sweep of Iowa for the top seed and hosting rights for the conference tournament.

"Coming into the game was tough because we were down and obviously very disappointed in not winning the Big Ten," said senior shortstop Mike Duursma, who was 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs in his last game at Lambert Field on Monday. "Coming back to play for second place was tough, but we found a way and played a pretty good game."

Although the Boilers found themselves just percentage points behind Big Ten champion Ohio State, Purdue coach Doug Schreiber was pleased with how his team responded Monday, knowing that they were playing for second place.

"We had the right to be disappointed after (Sunday)," said Schreiber. "We've worked very hard from the fall, through winter conditioning and through all our spring."

"But the thing is, you've got to be positive and mature enough to be able to comeback and play another game, because it did mean a lot."

What it might mean, according to Schreiber, is simply extending Purdue's season a little more.

"It maybe solidifies us an opportunity to pass the Big Ten Tournament into the (NCAA) regionals," Schreiber said.

This is something that some members of the Purdue baseball team said they felt cheated of when not selected to participate in the tournament last year despite its 35-23, 17-11 record.

For now, however, the Boilers realize they have to deal with Illinois and a tough Big Ten Tournament field at 2:30 p.m. this afternoon at Ohio State's Bill Davis Stadium.

O'Neill, who allowed only three hits in six innings Monday, said he hopes the 10-0 blanking of Iowa will be reflective of what the Boilers can accomplish in Columbus, Ohio this week.

"This was the perfect game for us to build up momentum and confidence going into the Big Ten Tournament."

Purdue's first-round matchup with Illinois today won't be an easy one, as they will face Illini staff ace Andy Dickinson, who held the Boilers to three runs on four hits, striking out six in an 11-4 Purdue loss on April 20.

Duursma said, however, that facing Dickinson again doesn't scare the Boiler batswingers.

"I think we learned a little from the Illinois loss last time," he said. "I think it's going to be tough for (Dickinson) to beat us twice."

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Paul Trembacki

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Anne McLaren

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