March 12, 2010
LAKEWOOD, Calif. - The Boilermaker softball team outhit the UNLV Rebels in Friday afternoon's contest at the Long Beach State Invitational, but could not overcome an early deficit, falling 7-3.
UNLV managed seven runs on eight hits and an error, while Purdue put up three runs on nine hits and an error. Six Boilermakers contributed hits, including two-hit days from freshman Maia Monchek, senior Jenna Alexander and senior Ashley Barr.
Kylie Wagner (6-1) earned the complete-game victory for the Rebels, while junior Suzie Rzegocki (4-6) was saddled with the loss. Freshman Erika Petruzzi struck out two batters in relief for Purdue.
The Boilermakers found themselves in a 5-0 hole after the opening stanza. A string of illegal pitch calls led Purdue to walk three of the first four batters and hit the other one. The illegal tosses scored two runs. A single filled the bases for Alyssia De La Torre, who delivered a sacrifice fly. Laura Briones followed with another sac fly. With a runner on second and two outs, an Tayler Aleman single up the right line capped the scoring. An error the following play kept things going, but a grounder to second base wrapped up the stanza.
Purdue got two runs back on two hits and an error in the bottom of the inning. Senior Liane Horiuchi was hit by a pitch to start things off. She stole second then scored on a pair of grounder. Alexander singled to left and went to second on an illegal pitch. Petruzzi singled to second base advancing Alexander to third, but a bad throw by the first baseman sailed toward the Purdue dugout past third, allowing Alexander to score.
UNLV made it 6-2 with a run on a hit in the second. A walk put the leadoff batter on base. She then stole second before scoring on an Ashli Holland single to left center.
The Boilermakers cut into the deficit with a run on two hits in the third. Alexander was at the plate with two outs and a 1-2 count when she hit into what appeared to be a ground out. An illegal pitch nullified the play and brought Alexander back to the plate. The senior made good on the opportunity sending a sharp single up the middle and promptly stole second. A walk put Petruzzi on as well. Junior Shelby Krammer singled to deep left field, bringing Alexander home, but was thrown out at second to wrap up the inning.
The Rebels again countered, with a run on three hits in the fourth. A leadoff single by Paige Emerson was followed by another single and a double play, but a Holland single to left center gave UNLV a 7-3 advantage.
Neither team would score the remainder of the game, but Purdue left a runner on in each stanza. In the fourth, it was freshman Kristen Allen who poked a two-out single through the right side. In the fifth, Monchek did the honors with a single to left. The sixth featured a single up the middle by Barr, while the seventh saw Monchek come through with a two-out single. The Boilermakers stranded their runner in scoring position in each of the last three innings.
The Boilermakers (6-9) look to rebound in an evening contest with the host Long Beach State 49ers.