Purdue Baseball Releases 2024 Schedule
Last baseball season was a rough one for Purdue, as it finished 24-29 overall against a tougher non-conference slate and 11-13 in the Big Ten. The 2024 edition is set to start the season in 107 days with some familiar names back. Mike Bolton Jr. returns as a speedy threat at the top of the lineup. Johnathan Blackwell, Kyle Iwinski, and CJ Backer are an experienced trio battling for the weekend rotation. There are also 12 freshmen on the roster looking to make an impact.
Now that fall ball is over, Purdue has released its 2024 schedule, and it is as follows:
February 16-18 vs. Stony Brook (Four Games) - Constellation Field - Sugar Land, TX - In what has become a tradition under Greg Goff, Purdue will start the season in Sugar Land, TX. Stony Brook was 23-29 last season, but they are best known for a stunning run to the 2012 College World Series in the same year Purdue won the Big Ten.
February 23-25 vs. George Mason (Four Games) - Ting Stadium - Holly Springs, NC - Ting Stadium has become another home-away-from-home under Greg Goff. George mason was a solid 36-27 a year ago and made the NCAAs by winning the Atlantic 10 Tourney. They even won two games in the Wake Forest regional against Northeastern and Big Ten champion Maryland.
Keith LeClair Classic - Greenville, NC - 3/1 vs. East Carolina, 3/2 vs. SE Louisiana, 3/3 vs. Cal State Fullerton - This is a tough early test. Purdue won this event in its last visit in 2012, but East Carolina was an impressive 47-19 a year ago and took two games in the Charlottesville Regional. SE Louisiana was 25-25 a year ago, while Cal State Fullerton is regularly among college baseball's elite. They have 18 CWS appearances, four national titles, and they were 32-24 a year ago with a win in the Stanford Regional.
March 5 at Notre Dame - Purdue's first in-state game of the year will be at Frank Eck Stadium in South Bend. The Irish were 30-24 a year ago, but that was just one season after they made the College World Series with a 41-17 record.
March 8-10 vs. Albany (Four Games) - The home season gets underway early this year with a four-game series against the Great Danes of Albany. It should be an easier series, as Albany was 9-34-1 a year ago.
March 13 vs. Northern Illinois - The first midweek game of the year is against a familiar foe, as Purdue beat the Huskies 14-5 in last year's home opener. They were 10-45. This is the third straight year Purdue has played NIU at home.
March 15-17 vs. Samford (Four Games) - Purdue is home on consecutive weekends, and this should be a challenging series. Samford was 37-25 a year ago, won the Southern Conference, and won a game in the Auburn regional.
March 20 vs. Illinois-Chicago - This is another regular home-and-home in season opponent. UIC was 22-25 last year, but won both games against Purdue.
March 22-24 vs. Iowa (Three Games) - It is rare for Purdue to be at home for three straight weekends, but it gets it this year with the Big Ten opener against the Hawkeyes. They were 40-16 a year ago and won two games in the Indiana State Regional.
March 26 at Indiana State - Speaking of Indiana State, Purdue has a road game after 13 straight home games and it is against an Indiana State team that was 45-17 a year ago and won a regional before losing a Super Regional to TCU. They swept both games with Purdue last season.
March 29-31 at Ohio State (Three Games) - Purdue's first Big Ten road series is in Columbus against the Buckeyes, who finished last season red hot at 31-25, but could not get out an early Big Ten hole. They finished 9-15 in the league and missed the conference tournament.
April 3 vs. Valparaiso - Purdue comes home for a midweek game before another weekend ont he road in the Big Ten. Valpo was 20-27 last year and their won game with Purdue was rained out.
April 5-7 - at Rutgers (Three Games) - The Scarlet Knights have been solid of late. They were 33-23 last year and just missed the NCAAs the year before. Purdue took two of three from them in West Lafayette last season.
April 9 vs. Indiana State - This is a return game as the usual midweek home-and-home.
April 12-14 vs. Michigan State (Three Games) - The Spartans edged Purdue last year by a game for the last spot in the Big Ten Tournament. They were 33-22 overall and took two of three from Purdue.
April 16 vs. Ball State - The Cardinals were 36-23 last year and won the MAC. They lost both games in the Kentucky Regional, but they were a solid team. Purdue beat them 3-2 in last year's only meeting.
April 19-21 vs. East Tennessee State (Three Games) - It is very rare that Purdue gets three full home non-conference series, but the program is going for it this year. This is the "bye" week in Big Ten play and the Bucs were 26-29 last year.
April 23 vs. Evansville - Purdue played the Aces three times last season, twice in Evansville and once in West Lafayette. The Boilers lost all three as Evansville was 37-24.
April 26-28 at Northwestern (Three Games) - The Wildcats were a distant last in the Big Ten last year, going 10-40 overall and just 4-20 in league play. They did take one of three from Purdue, however, and lost game three in extra innings.
May 1 vs. DePauw - This is some midweek schedule filler as DePauw is an in-state D3 team.
May 3-5 vs. Indiana (Three Games) - The Hoosiers blasted Purdue in Bloomington last season 26-11, 15-3, and 10-2 in a sweep. They went 43-20 and won two games in the Kentucky regional.
May 7 at Illinois-Chicago - This is a return game from the earlier home game.
May 10-12 at Michigan (Three Games) - Michigan and Purdue did not play last year. The Wolverines were 28-28 and missed the NCAAs, but were 13-11 in the Big Ten.
May 16-18 vs. Illinois (Three Games) - Purdue closes the season at home against the Illini. who were 25-27 a year ago and went 12-12 in Big Ten play.
Purdue is playing 30 games at home, the majority of the schedule, for perhaps the first time ever. That is impressive considering that Purdue is a "northern" team with a grass field, two things that often preclude early season home games. It is also a very tough schedule. A total of 19 games come agaisnt teams that made the NCAA Tournament a year ago. The Keith LeClair Classic is a steep challenge early in the season, and getting tourney teams in George Mason, Cal State Fullerton, East Carolina, Ball State, and Indiana State on the schedule is tough.
The goal, as always, is to at least finish in the top eight and reach the Big Ten Tournament in Omaha. Purdue last made it two seasons ago, where it went 0-2.