Feb. 20, 2010
HOUSTON - The Boilermaker softball team scored three runs in the first inning and held on for a 3-2 win over UTSA Saturday afternoon.
Purdue scored its three runs on four hits and four Roadrunner errors, while UTSA tallied two runs on six hits and a Boilermaker miscue.
Freshman Erika Petruzzi (1-2) garnered the win after striking out one in five innings of work. Junior Suzie Rzegocki picked up the save, issuing five Ks in the final two stanzas. Emily Humpal was saddled with the loss for UTSA.
The Boilermakers capitalized on UTSA miscues in the first inning, scoring three runs without the aid of a hit. Senior Liane Horiuchi was hit by a pitch to start the stanza, then stole second. Sophomore Molly Garst reached on an error by the left fielder and went to second on the play as Horiuchi advanced to third. Petruzzi drew a walk to fill the bases for senior Jenna Alexander. Alexander hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring two runs, thanks to aggressive base running. Horiuchi scored after a collision with the catcher. As the catcher remained on the ground, Garst raced home from third. Petruzzi went to third during the action. Freshman Maia Monchek reached on a two-out fielding error by the shortstop, allowing Petruzzi to come home. A ground out finally ended the inning.
Purdue had two runners in scoring position in the second, but couldn't convert. Senior Liz Allum led off with a single to right center, then Horiuchi was hit by a pitch. Both advanced on a fly ball to center, but were stranded by a grounder to second base.
UTSA managed two runs on two hits and an error in the third. The leadoff batter, Nikki Goff, was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a grounder to first and a Kelly Cato single to center. Cato stole second and the throw bounced into right field, allowing Goff to come home. A fielder's choice play at the plate put Rudi Cantu aboard. She then stole second and scored on a Ashley Kappler single to left. A fielder's choice play at second prevented further damage.
The Boilermakers had several more scoring opportunities, but could not convert, stranding eight runners over the final four stanzas. Alexander led off the Purdue half of the third with a double, but was left stranded. A fielding error, a fielder's choice and a walk loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth, but the Boilermakers came up empty. In the fifth, Monchek singled and stole second, then Barr reached on a fielding error by the third baseman, before a strikeout and grounder ended the inning.
Rzegocki took over in the circle to start the sixth and took the Roadrunners down in order, including two strikeouts.
Purdue stranded runners at the corners in the sixth. Garst singled to second base, stole second then went to third on a wild pitch. Alexander was hit by a pitch with two outs, but a caught foul ball brought UTSA to the plate one final time.
The Roadrunners threatened in the seventh, loading the bases, but the Purdue defense held strong to conserve the win. A pair of singles and a two-out walk accounted for the base runners, but Rzegocki issued her fourth K to end the game and pick up the save.
The Boilermakers (2-6) wrap up Day 2 of the Marriott Houston Invitational against the host Cougars in approximately half an hour.