PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers baseball dropped an extra-inning affair to Purdue on Friday night, losing the series opener by a score of 5-3 in 10 innings. 

The Scarlet Knights (19-10, 1-3) rallied to tie the game at 3-3 with two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but the Boilermakers (18-12, 3-4) scored a pair in the 10th to earn the win.

After each starting pitcher posted five shutout innings, Purdue got on the board on an RBI fielder's choice in the sixth. Each of the first three batters reached for the Boilermakers in the seventh, including an RBI single that made it 2-0. 

Joe Mazza entered with two on and no outs in the seventh but got a pair of strikeouts to strand the runners and get out of the frame. 

Sonny Fauci came in for the eighth and struck out the side to keep RU in it. 

Leading off the bottom of the eighth, Cameron Love worked a full count against the new Purdue pitcher and sent a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left for a solo home run, his third of the season, making it 2-1. 

The Boilermakers got an insurance run in the top of the ninth to extend their lead to 3-1. 

In the bottom of the ninth, Ty Doucette led things off with a single and Pete Durocher followed with a walk. Jackson Natili attempted a sacrifice bunt, but the throw went wide at first and pinch-runner Scotty Young scored. RJ Johnson Jr. tied the game with an RBI single, but a double play would end the frame and send it to extras. 

After Purdue loaded the bases in the top of the 10th, a hit-by-pitch and walk scored two runs to make it 5-3. While Josh Kuroda-Grauer singled with one out in the bottom of the 10th, that was all the RU lineup could produce and the Boilermakers closed out the game. 
 
Game two between Rutgers and Purdue is set for 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

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