April 21, 2010
MUNCIE, Ind. - Junior Suzie Rzegocki capped a stellar doubleheader effort against Ball State by tossing her first collegiate no-hitter and tying the Purdue single-game record for home runs with two as the Boilermakers topped the Cardinals 7-0. The no-hitter is the 15th in Purdue lore and makes Rzegocki the eight Boilermaker pitcher to record a complete-game no-no.
Rzegocki's highlights were not the only ones for Purdue in Game 2 as senior Liane Horiuchi snapped Angi Roembke's career steals record (76 from 2000-2003) with her 77th, and the Boilermaker squad set a new season standard for stolen bases with 104 on the year. The team record topped the 1999 squad's mark of 103 steals.
After waiting until the final two stanzas to solidify a Game 1 victory, the Boilermakers scored early and often in Game 2. Purdue racked up its seven runs on 12 hits, while no-hitting the Cardinals. Rzegocki went 3-for-4 with two home runs to lead the offense, while sophomore Molly Garst and freshman Erika Petruzzi each added two hits.
In the circle, Rzegocki issued just two strikeouts, but faced just 23 batters in the contest, hitting one batter and not allowing a walk. The sixth inning error accounted for the lone other base runner.
The Boilermakers got things started with three runs on three hits and a sacrifice fly in the opening stanza. Garst led off with a double to left center. On a bunt and run play, senior Liane Horiuchi laid down the hit which edged the chalk line. Garst took off for third and rounded for home as BSU went for the out at first. The Cardinals tried to get Garst at home to no avail, allowing Horiuchi to advance to second on the play. Horiuchi then swiped third, tying the Purdue career stolen bases record for herself with 76, and tying the team for the all-time single-season steals mark with 103. A sacrifice fly to right by senior Jenna Alexander brought another run. Rzegocki kept her magic going with a two-out solo shot to left to put Purdue up 3-0.
The Boilermakers tacked on a run on a hit in the third. Horiuchi walked and swiped second, snapping the career steals record and team season mark in the process, before coming home on a single to left by senior Jenna Alexander.
Rzegocki added a school single-game record tying second home run with a solo shot to lead off the fourth inning. Purdue added two more hits in the stanza on a bunt single by senior Ashley Barr and a single up the left field line by freshman Kristen Allen. The pair was sacrificed over to second and third, but the Boilermakers couldn't add to their 5-0 advantage.
Purdue made it 7-0, scoring on two hits and sacrifice fly in the fifth. Alexander was hit by a pitch with one out. Freshman Erika Petruzzi singled through the left side, advancing pinch runner Kayla Yates to second. Rzegocki added another RBI to her tally with a single to right field, bringing Yates in to score. Rzegocki went to second and the throw home and Petruzzi held up at third, setting the table for freshman Ashley Courtney. Courtney capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to right.
Ball State got its first base runner when Rzegocki pegged Amanda Montalto with two outs in the fifth, but a grounder to first base nullified the offensive opportunity for the Cardinals.
Purdue threatened in the sixth putting two aboard, but could not score. Senior Liz Allum sent a one-out single into left center. Garst followed with a double to the deep right field corner. Allum went to third on the play and tried to score as the relay throw sailed wide of the plate, but was tagged out as she slid into home. A ground ball to third base then stranded Garst as the inning ended.
With two outs in the sixth, the Cardinals' Jessie Ware reached as a grounder bounced off the glove of the second baseman and into right field. A fly ball to center field prevented BSU from breaking through offensively.
Petruzzi tallied her second hit of the contest with a one-out single up the middle in the seventh, but another run was not ot be.
BSU went down in order on a pop up, a grounder to the pitcher and a grounder to second base to clinch the win.
The Boilermakers (22-22) return to action on Saturday, when they take on No. 2 Michigan at 4 p.m.