April 10, 2010
IOWA CITY, Iowa - One run in the sixth inning marked the difference in Saturday's softball game between Purdue and Iowa. The Boilermakers had several scoring opportunities, including one in the final stanza, but stranded nine runners, six in scoring position.
Amanda Zust (11-6) picked up the complete-game victory for the Hawkeyes, while junior pitcher Suzie Rzegocki struck out two batters and allowed just five balls out of the infield for Purdue.
Iowa scored one run on four hits and an error, and allowed Purdue six hits and committed an error of its own.
Junior Shelby Krammer bounced a single off the base of the center field wall to give Purdue its first hit with one down in the third. Senior Liz Allum followed, zipping a single through the right side. A fly ball to center field and a grounder to the shortstop kept Purdue from making good on the RBI opportunity.
Senior Jenna Alexander drew a one-out walk in the fourth and went to second on a grounder, but was tagged out on a fielder's choice play to end the inning.
Lindsay Digmann bounced an infield single to start the Iowa half of the fourth. A throwing error allowed her to advance to second on the play. With Digmann on third after a fly out, the next batter ricocheted the ball off of Rzegocki and into the glove of shortstop Liane Horiuchi, who fired home to Alexander to save the run. A pop up wrapped up the stanza.
The Boilermakers threatened in the fifth as senior Ashley Barr sent a leadoff single into left field and went to third on a sacrifice and a steal. Horiuchi drew a two-out walk and swiped second to put two in scoring position, but a strikeout kept Purdue off the scoreboard.
The Hawkeyes wasted a leadoff single in the field as a fielder's choice at second base and two grounders capped the inning.
Purdue added two hits to its tally with two-out singles by freshman Ashley Courtney and Rzegocki in the sixth, but could not bring them home to score.
Iowa broke the scoreless tie with a run on two hits in the sixth. Taylor Leichsenring led off with a single up the middle and went to third on a sacrifice and a grounder to second base. Katie Brown scored her with a single up the middle.
A fielding error by the shortstop and a walk gave Purdue two runners on with nobody out in the seventh. Horiuchi lifted a double to deep center field, pushing Allum to third, but pinch runner Aimee Gingerich was tagged out in a close play at the plate. A strikeout and a grounder to first base held off the Boilermaker rally.
The Boilermakers (16-21, 1-4 Big Ten) will get another shot at the Hawkeyes as the teams face off again at 3 p.m. ET Sunday.