April 3, 2010
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Junior pitcher Suzie Rzegocki did it all in a 5-0 win over Penn State on Saturday, going 3-for-3 at the plate including a home run, while also striking out four in the complete-game victory. Rzegocki's home run, one of three Boilermaker long balls in the contest, made her the first pitcher in program history to hit a home run in a game during which she also pitched.
Freshman Ashley Courtney and sophomore Molly Garst accounted for the other two Purdue round-trippers. Garst's was part of a 2-for-2 effort at the plate. The Boilermakers scored five runs on six hits and an error in the game, while holding Penn State scoreless with just six hits.
Rzegocki moved to 12-14 on the season with the victory, while Jackie Hill dropped to 11-7 with the loss for Penn State.
The Nittany Lions threatened in five innings, but could not manage a score, instead stranding 10 runners on base, including five in scoring position.
PSU posted the game's first hit with a two-out double in the opening stanza. A walk followed, but a fielder's choice play at third prevented any scoring.
Purdue threatened in its half of the first, but it was also to no avail. Garst poke a one-out single into right field and promptly swiped second and third, but was the victim of a fielder's choice play soon after. Freshman Maia Monchek reached on the fielder's choice and swiped second, before senior Jenna Alexander was hit by a pitch. A strikeout, however, kept the scoreboard blank.
The Nittany Lions got a single and a walk in the second, but remained scoreless.
Rzegocki tallied her first hit of the day with one out in the second as she lasered a single into left field. The Boilermakers sacrificed her into scoring position, but were unable to bring her home.
A Danee Collett double and a fielder's choice put two on for PSU in the third, but a play at third and a strikeout left the game at 0-0.
After three and a half quiet innings, the Boilermakers broke the game open with a three-run shot by Rzegocki. Alexander was hit by a pitch to start the stanza. A fielding error by the third baseman on a sac bunt gave Purdue two on, as Courtney climbed aboard. Another sacrifice pushed the runners into scoring position as Rzegocki stepped to the plate. The Lemont, Ill., native crushed a no-doubter over the left field wall to give Purdue the advantage.
Penn State tried to answer in the fifth, putting runners at the corners with a pair of singles, but could not convert.
Garst made it 4-0 with a solo shot over the left field wall in the fifth.
PSU left another runner in scoring position in the sixth after a single and a sacrifice.
The Boilermakers capped the scoring as Courtney dropped a bomb over the center field wall to lead off the home half of the sixth. Rzegocki added her third hit with a one-out single through the left side. A sacrifice bumped to second, but a pop up to the shortstop prevented Purdue from adding to the 5-0 margin.
Penn State had one last chance in the seventh as Collett was hit by a pitch with two outs, but Rzegocki forced a grounder to the second baseman to cap the contest.
The Boilermakers (16-19, 1-2 Big Ten) return to action at 1 p.m. Sunday when they face off with the Nittany Lions once again. Purdue baseball and softball are hosting an Easter Egg Hunt for children 13 and under at the conclusion of the softball game.