Feb. 19, 2010
HOUSTON - The Boilermaker softball team fell just shy of another victory, leaving a pair of runners in scoring position in a 3-2, eight-inning loss to Iowa State to kick off the Marriott Houston Invitational Friday morning.
ISU scored its three runs on seven hits and three Boilermaker miscues, while Purdue managed two runs on eight hits and two Cyclone errors. Junior Shelby Krammer led the way with a 3-for-4 effort, including a double and a home run.
Rachel Zabriskie struck out eight batters in a complete game effort for ISU, while junior Suzie Rzegocki issued two Ks in the complete game effort for Purdue.
Sophomore Molly Garst posted Purdue's first hit with a leadoff single in the first and was sacrificed to second before being called for leaving the base early for the inning's third out.
The Boilermakers threatened again in the second, putting two on with a single by senior Jenna Alexander and a hit by pitch that put freshman Kristen Allen aboard, but could not score.
Iowa State loaded the bases in the third on a fielder's choice, a single and a hit by pitch, but the Boilermaker defense turned a double play to escape the inning unscathed.
The Cyclones scored a run on a hit in the fourth. Alex Johnson singled off the right center wall, then was sacrificed to second. An illegal pitch moved her over to third. A walk put runners at the corners. ISU then pulled off a double steal for a run. A ground ball and a batter's interference call prevented further damage.
Junior Shelby Krammer evened the score with a single swing of the bat in the bottom of the inning, lifting a solo shot over the center field wall.
A fielder's choice, bunt single and an error on the third baseman filled the bases for ISU in the fifth, but a looking strikeout and liner to the shortstop kept the game tied.
Purdue strung together three singles in the sixth, but couldn't break through with a run. Freshman Erika Petruzzi singled to left to start the inning. She was out the following play on a fielder's choice that put Alexander aboard. Pinch runner Aimee Gingerich went to second on a Krammer single. Gingerich was caught stealing, but Krammer advanced on the play. A Rzegocki single to short gave Purdue runners at the corners, but a strikeout ended the stanza.
Senior Ashley Barr posted a one-out single in the seventh, but the Boilermakers could not bring her home, sending the game to extra innings.
With the international tie breaker in effect in the eighth, ISU had a runner placed on second base to start the inning. The Cylcones sacrificed her over to third and brought her home with a Sydni Jones double to left field. A ground out pushed Jones to third, before a Dalyn Varela single to short brought her home. A grounder to the pitcher brought Purdue to the plate.
Rookie Maia Monchek started the inning on second base. Alexander reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. Krammer doubled off the center field wall, bringing Monchek home and advancing Alexander to third. A pair of strikeouts stranded two runners at the game's end.
The Boilermakers (1-5) look to rebound when they face No. 20 Texas at 2 p.m. ET.