Feb. 20, 2010
HOUSTON - The Boilermaker softball team squeaked out a 4-3 win over Houston for its second victory of the day. Timely hitting and a strong pitching effort by junior Suzie Rzegocki contributed to the victory.
Purdue scored four runs on eight hits and two Cougar errors, while Houston managed three runs on three hits and a Boilermaker miscue. Seniors Jenna Alexander and Liane Horiuchi along with sophomore Molly Garst each tallied two hits in the contest. Senior Liz Allum added a home run.
Rzegocki picked up her first win of the year, tossing four no-hit innings and striking out seven in the victory. Baillie Lott was saddled with the loss for UH.
The Boilermakers jumped on the scoreboard early with a run on two hits in the opening stanza. Horiuchi led off with a bunt single and stole second. Sophomore Molly Garst followed with a single up the middle and went to second as the Cougars threw home to prevent a score. Freshman Erika Petruzzi reached on a fielder's choice, as Horiuchi slid under the tag at the plate. Petruzzi and Garst went to second and third on the play as the catcher stood stunned by the call. A grounder, a pop up and a caught foul ball wrapped up the inning.
Senior Liz Allum added her second home run in as many days in her home state with a one-out solo shot to left center in the second, giving Purdue a 2-0 lead.
Purdue tacked on a third run on a hit and an error in the fourth. Allum reached on a fielding error by the first baseman and was sacrificed to second. Horiuchi singled to center, bringing in the run, then stole second. Garst drew a walk and the pair then pulled off a double steal, but a strikeout stranded both.
The Boilermakers put two on with one out in the fifth, but a double play spoiled the scoring opportunity.
The Cougars snapped Purdue's no-hit bid in the bottom of the fifth, plating three runs on three hits and an error. A Brooke Lathan single to left did the initial damage. A walk and a Mary Tyler Dobson single loaded the bases. Pitcher Baillie Lott stepped to the plate and helped her own cause with a single to right. The hit wound up scoring three runs after an error by the right fielder. Houston stranded two in the inning.
UH had a runner on third in the sixth, but the Boilermaker defense held. A walk, a sacrifice and a passed ball put the runner in scoring position, but a ground ball and a strikeout kept the game tied 3-3.
It was nearly déjàvu in the top of the seventh as the Boilermakers put a runner on third, but unlike Houston, Purdue was able to capitalize. Garst started the inning with a single deep in the hole. A sacrifice and a wild pitch moved her to third. Alexander singled up the middle to make good on the RBI opportunity. A fielder's choice and strikeout kept Purdue from adding to its 4-3 advantage.
The Cougars went down in order in the bottom of the seventh to cap the Purdue win.
The Boilermakers (3-6) return to action at 9 a.m. when they take on the No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns to wrap up their stay in Houston.