Once again, Purdue has started the baseball season red hot, albeit against a relatively weak schedule. The Boilermakers are the lone undefeated team left in the Big Ten after defeating Stephen F. Austin and Niagara in four games each, and they enter this weekend’s series with Akron at 8-0.

Akron (3-4 • 2024: 15-39, 10-20 MAC) vs. Purdue (8-0 • 2024: 33-24, 13-11 B1G)

Ting Stadium / Holly Springs, North Carolina

Friday, Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. ET

Saturday, March 1 at 1 p.m. ET (DH)

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS

Friday: Carter Doorn (Sr, RHP) vs. Akron's Jared Schaeffer (Jr, RHP) Game 1

Saturday: Cole Van Assen (So, RHP) or Easton Storey vs. Akron's Jack Kelley (Sr, RHP)

Game 2 Saturday: Easton Storey (So, LHP) or Cole Van Assen vs. TBA for Akron

Sunday: TBA for Purdue vs. Akron's Landon Vandergrift (Fr, RHP)

Last weekend Purdue’s pitching was dominant against Niagara, and that is a big reason the Boilermakers lead the conference in ERA at 2.38 through two weekends of play. Purdue gave up just nine runs in four games against the Purple Eagles, and a week earlier against Stephen F. Austin Purdue gave up only five runs total in the first three games before winning a 16-12 gorilla ball game in the finale.

Easton Storey has been excellent. He has not given up a run yet in 9 1/3 innings and he is 2-0 on the year through two starts. Logan Sutter has been excellent at the plate, as he is batting .538 with three home runs and 13 RBI. That’s good for second in the Big Ten. Eli Anderson and Lukas Cook are also in the top 10 in the conference as each has a .444 average.

Purdue will face an Akron team that is 3-4 on the year. They took two of three from Radford in week one before they were swept by Jacksonville State on the road last week. They had a midweek win at home this week over Youngstown State 11-2.

Akron is not a power hitting team. They have just three home runs on the season. Purdue also has a distinct pitching advantage. The Zips have a collective ERA of 6.57. Their top two starters were roughed up a bit in both starts, and Jack Kelly has already given up 10 earned runs.

This is another week where Purdue is favored. The Boilermakers have a big midweek game at Indiana State this week before beginning league play at Minnesota next week. Getting a series win to keep the early season momentum going is key. Should Purdue get another sweep it may find itself ranked nationally as well.

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