Feb. 28, 2010
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Purdue softball team posted just two hits against Northern Illinois on Sunday, but that was enough to garner the Boilermakers a 2-1 victory over the Huskies. The Boilermaker pitchers issued seven Ks in the game to aid in the effort.
Purdue scored its two runs on two hits and two NIU errors, while the Huskies managed a run on five hits and an error. Senior Liane Horiuchi tallied a triple and scored both of the Boilermakers' runs, while freshman Maia Monchek accounted for the team's second hit.
Junior Suzie Rzegocki (4-5) struck out five in four innings of relief en route to the victory, while freshman Julia Rice dished out two Ks in the starting effort. Morgan Bittner (1-3) took the complete game loss for NIU.
The Huskies got a two-out single in the first, but could not convert it into a score.
The Boilermakers took advantage of NIU miscues in the bottom of the inning to break onto the scoreboard. Horiuchi drew a leadoff walk and stole second, but advanced to third on the steal as the catcher's throw sailed into center field. Monchek rocketed a single up the third baseline to bring Horiuchi home. A fielder's choice and a liner to third base kept Purdue from adding to its tally.
NIU put two hits together in the second, but a rundown leading to a pickoff prevented any damage. The Huskies, however, tied the score with a walk and a triple in the third. Dani Parrish drew the one-out walk and scored on an Andrea Colosimo triple to right center. A grounder to first base and a strikeout stranded Colosimo at third.
Horiuchi set the Boilermakers up in the third, bouncing a one-out triple off the center field wall. A fielding error by the shortstop allowed Horiuchi to score and put sophomore Molly Garst on first. Garst was called for leaving early on a stolen base attempt before a fly out ended the inning.
Rzegocki took over in the circle to start the fourth inning and issued four straight strikeouts before allowing a base runner on a walk. The runner swiped second, but a fly ball left her there at inning's end.
A single, a fielder's choice and a sacrifice gave NIU a runner in scoring position in the sixth, but a strikeout, Rzegocki's fifth of the day, kept the Purdue lead in tact.
The Huskies threatened in the seventh putting two aboard with a fielder's choice and a two-out walk, but a fly ball sealed the Boilermaker victory.
The Boilermakers (6-8) have a week off before their next competition, which comes on March 12 at the Long Beach Invitational.