March 17, 2010
FULLERTON, Calif. - The Boilermaker softball team kicked off the second half of its spring break stay in California with a 12-4 win over New Mexico. The contest, which featured 10 strikeouts from junior Suzie Rzegocki and 15 hits from the offense, kicked off the 2010 Judi Garman Classic.
Purdue scored its 12 runs on 15 hits and two Lobo miscues, while New Mexico managed its four runs on 12 hits. Freshman Maia Monchek went 4-for-5 with four RBI to lead the Boilermakers bats, while sophomore Molly Garst and freshman Ashley Courtney each added three hits.
Rzegocki (6-8) struck out a season-best 10 batters in the complete-game victory, while Samantha Gatson (3-5) was saddled with the loss for the Lobos after allowing four runs in an inning and a third. Kari Gutierrez and Kaela DeBroeck also saw action for New Mexico.
The Boilermakers piled up two runs on five hits in the opening stanza. Garst got things started with a short single to the pitcher, but was caught stealing for the second out of the inning. Freshman Erika Petruzzi and senior Jenna Alexander combined a pair of doubles to put Purdue on the scoreboard. Petruzzi's knock up the left field line set up Alexander's lift into left center. Courtney dribbled a single between the pitcher and third baseman, pushing Alexander to third. Monchek made good on the RBI opportunity with a single to shallow center field. Junior Shelby Krammer filled the basepaths, reaching on a wild pitch, before a grounder to the pitcher capped the inning.
Senior Liane Horiuchi was hit by a pitch with one out in the second. Garst bumped her over to third, poking a single into left center. A wild pitch scored Horiuchi and moved Garst to third, from which she scored on another wild pitch, this one courtesy of relief pitcher Kari Gutierrez. Alexander reached on a two-out throwing error by the shortstop before advancing to third as Courtney bounced a double off the fence in left center. Monchek added another RBI to her tally with a sharp single up the middle. A pop up stranded two runners.
In the bottom of the inning, the Lobos earned their first hit as Katie Gilmore lifted a single just over the head of the first baseman. Another single and a sacrifice put two runners in scoring position with one out, but a strikeout and a grounder to first base made it much ado about nothing.
New Mexico scored two runs on four perfectly placed hits in the third. A single and a steal put a runner on second with two outs. A Cassie Kalapsa single up the middle put the Lobos on the board. A pair of singles, one to shallow left center and the other to shallow right field followed, with the latter scoring Kalapsa from third. The Boilermakers caught a runner stealing to end the inning without further damage.
Alexander drew a one-out walk in the fourth and advanced to third on a bunt single by Courtney and an unassisted out at first, but the pair were left stranded by a grounder to short.
The Lobos cut the deficit to two with a triple and a single in the fourth. Shaunte Duarte tripled to deep center field, then scored on a Jessica Lujan-Dresslar single up the middle.
Purdue broke the game open with five runs on five hits in the fifth. Senior Ashley Barr drew a leadoff walk and was sacrificed to second, from which she scored on a Horiuchi single to center. Horiuchi went to second on the throw home, setting the table for Garst, who tripled to left center. Petruzzi followed with a double to the left field corner, edging Garst home. Alexander pushed the lead to seven with a home run to left, driving in Petruzzi. Monchek added a two-out triple, but was left stranded by a strikeout.
After a quiet sixth inning, the Boilermakers added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh. Garst was hit by a pitch and stole second, then pinch hitter Kristen Allen walked. Monchek sent a two-out single up the middle, plating both before being thrown out at second on the play.
New Mexico combined a pair of seventh-inning singles for a run. A leadoff single and a grounder put a runner on second for Kalapsa, who picked up the RBI with a single up the middle. A pair of pop ups to the shortstop, however, wrapped up the Purdue victory.
The Boilermakers (9-11) jump right back into action with a contest against the host Cal State Fullerton Titans set for a 10:15 p.m. ET start.