Purdue Baseball's Jackson Smeltz Named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Following a 13-strikeout performance in a three-game series against in-state Rival Indiana, Purdue left-handed pitcher Jackson Smeltz was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week.
The redshirt junior posted a career-high strikeout total, matching the most strikeouts ever by a left-handed pitcher in program history across eight innings, in a 17-0 series-opening victory Saturday at Alexander Field. The Boilermakers went on to win its sixth straight home series against the Hoosiers since 2004.
Smeltz joins Troy Wansing, a fellow lefty, as the second Boilermaker recognized by the conference this season. Wansing won Big Ten Freshman of the Week on March 23.
Purdue's last player to earn the honor of Big Ten Pitcher of the Week was Ross Learnard in April of 2018. The last Boilermaker starter to win Big Ten Pitcher of the Week was Gareth Stroh back in April of 2017.
Smeltz allowed just one hit against Indiana and zero runs, producing a game score of 90. It was the most dominant outing in the 10-year history of Alexander Field and the top game score ever by a Purdue pitcher with at least 12 strikeouts.
The performance was also the best mark by a Boilermaker since the beginning of the 2012 season.
Smeltz was also named a National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball on Monday. The announcement of the Big Ten weekly honors was delayed until Thursday due to an illness at the conference office.
Read More: Smeltz One of Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week
This season, Purdue baseball boasts a 21-7 overall record with a 3-4 mark in Big Ten play. The team started the season with 15 straight wins.
Smeltz has pitched 44 total innings for the Boilermakers in 2022, accounting for a 2.66 earned run average while being credited with five wins. He has recorded a team-high 64 strikeouts after appearing in eight games on the year.
Purdue baseball is scheduled to go on the road for a three-game series with Penn State in as many days, beginning on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET. Smeltz is slated to start in the second game of the series.
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.