April 24, 2010
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker softball team held the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines to their lowest run tally in 13 games, but wound up on the short end of a 5-1 score on Saturday.
Purdue scored a run on four hits, while allowing Michigan five runs on six hits.
Jordan Taylor (19-2) struck out nine Boilermakers in the win for Michigan, while junior Suzie Rzegocki (18-18) issued six strikeouts in the complete-game effort for Purdue.
Senior Liane Horiuchi tallied the game's first hit with a sharp single to third base. She stole second after a bizarre batter's interference call, but was left stranded by a strikeout.
Michigan put together a two-out walk and a double for a run in the second. Amanda Chidester drew the walk and scored on Nikki Nemitz's double to right.
The Wolverines combined a pair of hits for a score. A Molly Bausher infield single and a sacrifice set up an Angela Findlay RBI double to right center. A fly out and a grounder to third base prevented any further scoring.
Michigan went up 4-0 after two runs on two hits, an illegal pitch and a wild pitch in the fifth. A two-out single up the middle gave UM a base runner. The Boilermakers looked to have the inning wrapped up, after catching the runner stealing, but an illegal pitch was called to nullify the out and award the runner second base. A walk put another runner on and a wild pitch moved both into scoring position. Maggie Viefhaus brought both home with a single up the right field line.
The Boilermakers snapped the shutout bid with a run on three hits in the sixth. Freshman Kristen Allen led off with a single through the right side. Sophomore Molly Garst joined her on base with a single to shallow left field. Senior Jenna Alexander put Purdue on the board with a single up the middle. Alexander went to third on the throw home and Garst wound up at third, but neither would make it in to score as a strikeout ended the stanza.
Nemitz got the run back for the Wolverines with a home run to left center to start the seventh.
Purdue went down in order on a line out, a fly out and a ground out to cap the game.
The Boilermakers (22-23, 3-6 Big Ten) will have another shot at the No. 2 Wolverines at 1 p.m. Sunday.