Purdue Hosts NIU to Open Home Season at Alexander

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

Northern Illinois (3-12) at Purdue (8-7)
Wednesday, March 15 at 4 p.m. ET / Watch B1G+
Alexander Field / West Lafayette, Indiana

Midweek Deal: $3 GA Tickets, Hot Dogs, Popcorn, Nachos & Beers
Probable Starting Pitchers: Khal Stephen (So, RHP) vs. NIU’s Connor Lutes (So, RHP)

SERIES HISTORY

All-Time: Purdue leads 6-1

All-Time in West Lafayette: Purdue leads 4-0

2022: Purdue 17, NIU 14 (April 5 in West Lafayette)

First Meeting: Purdue 2, NIU 0 (March 1999 at Lambert Field)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball’s first week of action back home again (in the state of) Indiana begins with Wednesday’s home opener as the Boilermakers host Northern Illinois for the first of 24 dates at Alexander Field this spring.

First pitch is set for 4 p.m. as part of the $3 midweek matchup promotion. General admission tickets, hot dogs, popcorn, nachos and domestic canned beers are specially priced at $3 for all Tuesday and Wednesday games at Alexander.

The streaming schedule on Big Ten Network’s B1G+ app and website also begins Wednesday. Thirty-one of Purdue’s remaining 39 regular-season games are slated to be streamed on B1G+. Excluding TV games on BTN or ESPNU, the B1G+ streaming slate features all home games and Big Ten road games. Fans can sign up for a Purdue monthly school pass for $9.95 per month. Viewers connected to the internet network of any Big Ten university receive complimentary access to B1G+.

Last season’s Purdue-NIU game at Alexander Field was a midweek slugfest, featuring a combined 31 runs on 29 hits and eight errors on a rainy day in early April. It was the highest-scoring game in the history of Alexander, a benchmark that was matched later that week in a 16-15 win vs. Indiana. There were 108 combined runs scored over five games from April 5-10, easily the highest scoring week since Alexander opened in 2013.

The Boilermakers were 13-9 at home and 5-3 in midweek action last season. They have 10 midweek dates on the schedule this year, including eight at home.

Wednesday’s March 15 date makes the game the fourth-earliest home opener in program history.

Khal Stephen is set to start on the mound Wednesday for what should be an abbreviated outing. He’ll become the ninth Purdue pitcher since 1998 to start both the season opener and home opener.

ACTIVE STREAKS

• Cam Thompson – 22-game…