Purdue clinches Big Ten title outright

Including a fourth career multi-homer game from Cameron Perkins, No. 13 Purdue baseball hit a season-high four home runs en route to defeating Iowa, 11-8, to clinch the Big Ten Conference title outright Thursday. The Boilermakers (41-10, 17-5 Big Ten) won the opening game of every Big Ten series this season. The four long balls were the most by the Boilers since connecting for five in an April 2010 home win against Penn State.

Read more about Purdue’s win at Purduesports.com  and get the latest Big Ten standings at BigTen.org. In other games Thursday night …

Illinois 7,  Minnesota 5: Minnesota fell to 28-26 on the season and 10-12 in Big Ten play in a heart-breaking 7-5 loss to Illinois, tonight in Champaign. For the fourth-straight game, the Gophers battled back from a deficit, only to fall in the late innings. Minnesota trailed 4-0, battled back and took a 5-4 lead, but allowed two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning for the loss. Read more at Gophersports.com.

Nebraska 15, Michigan 2: The Nebraska baseball team (33-20, 13-9 Big Ten) secured its spot at next week’s Big Ten Baseball Tournament on Thursday night with a 15-2 win over the Michigan Wolverines at Wilpon Complex. The 15 runs were the most for the Huskers in a Big Ten opener this season. Read more at Huskers.com.

Indiana 10, Ohio State 8: The Ohio State baseball team dropped a 10-8 decision to Indiana Thursday afternoon at Sembower Field. With the loss, the Buckeyes fall to 31-23 on the season, 11-11 in the Big Ten, while the Hoosiers improve to 28-26, 14-8 in conference play. Ohio State will still remain in at least a tie for sixth place heading into play Friday. Read more at OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

Penn State 3, Michigan State 2: Penn State senior Jordan Steranka added another page to his Penn State baseball success story on Thursday afternoon, drilling a two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning to lift the Nittany Lions past Michigan State by a score of 3-2. With Indiana winning today, Penn State sits in a tie for second place in the Big Ten standings. Read more at GoPSUsports.com.

Get the latest Big Ten baseball standings and Big Ten baseball statistics at BigTen.org.