March 14, 2010
LAKEWOOD, Calif. - The Boilermaker defense and pitching held a hard-hitting Notre Dame team to just three runs, but the offense came up with just one hit in a 3-0 loss to wrap up the Long Beach State Invitational on Sunday.
The Fighting Irish scored three runs on eight hits and one error, while Purdue posted one hit and received help from one ND error. Senior Jenna Alexander snapped the no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the seventh.
Jody Valdivia (12-2) earned the complete game victory for Notre Dame, striking out nine, while junior Suzie Rzegocki (5-8) went the distance for Purdue, issuing five Ks.
The Irish managed a run on three hits in the first inning. A Sadie Pitzenberger double started things off. A pair of singles brought her around to score. Defensively, the Boilermakers caught one runner stealing, struck out one batter and forced a pop up.
The Boilermakers got their first base runner in the third inning as senior Liz Allum was plunked on the arm with one out. Allum stole second, but her teammates could not bring her in to score.
Freshman Maia Monchek drew a one-out walk in the fourth, but was caught stealing to wrap up the inning.
Notre Dame tried to muster some offense in the fourth, but a Boilermaker double play nullified a leadoff walk. Another walk and single followed, but Rzegocki tossed it over to first on a grounder to prevent any damage.
Junior Shelby Krammer reached on a two-out error by the shortstop in the fifth, but the Boilermaker offense was unable to capitalize.
The Fighting Irish boosted their lead to 3-0 on a Heather Johnson home run to left center in the fifth. The long ball also scored Katie Fleury, who had looped a one-out single.
Horiuchi earned a one-out walk in the sixth, then a fielder's choice play at second put sophomore Molly Garst aboard. Garst promptly stole second, before being stranded by a pop up.
Senior Jenna Alexander snapped Valdivia's no-hitter with a leadoff single up the middle in the seventh, but a caught foul ball, a strikeout and a pop up kept pinch runner Aimee Gingerich from making it around the basepaths.
The Boilermakers (8-11) return to action at 7:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, when they take on New Mexico State and Cal State Fullerton in back-to-back contests in Fullerton, Calif.