May 1, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS - The Boilermakers used eight hits, eight walks and nine steals to scatter seven runs across a 7-0 win over Minnesota on Saturday, while junior Suzie Rzegocki took sole possession of the single-season strikeout with two in the game, boosting her tally to 198. Six Purdue batters tallied hits in the contest, including two-hit efforts by sophomore Molly Garst and freshman Erika Petruzzi.
Rzegocki moved to 20-19 on the year, striking out two and allowing Minnesota just four hits in the shutout. Alissa Koch (0-18) was saddled with the complete game loss for the Golden Gophers.
The Boilermakers put two runs on the scoreboard in the opening stanza, capitalizing on a hit, an error a few stolen bases and a trio of walks. Senior Liane Horiuchi started things off with a one-out single through the left side. She then stole second, before being joined on base by Rzegocki, who walked. The pair pulled off a double steal, but Horiuchi also came home on the play as the catcher's throw to third was not properly handled by the shortstop covering and wound up in left field. Petruzzi and senior Ashley Barr also drew free passes to fill the bases. A passed ball allowed each to move up a bag, scoring Rzegocki. A strikeout prevented Purdue from adding to its 2-0 lead.
Purdue tacked on two more runs on a trio of hits in the second. Senior Liz Allum laced a one-out single to left center and scored as Garst dropped a double into right center. Garst swiped third and came home as Rzegocki looped an RBI single into shallow left field. Rzegocki stole second, but was left stranded by a fly out.
Rzegocki struck Whitney Erickson out looking for the second out of the second inning, claiming her sole possession of Purdue's season strikeout record with her 197th of the year.
Petruzzi lifted a tricky pop up toward the shortstop, which was taken by the wind and landed in the infield for a hit to start the third. A walk put Barr on base and she and Petruzzi promptly pulled off a double steal to move into scoring position. Petruzzi got caught in a run down between third and home as junior Shelby Krammer reached on a fielder's choice. The Boilermaker base runners remained active, allowing Krammer to wind up at second on the play. With runners at second and third and just one out, freshman Kristen Allen supplied an RBI single to left center. Allen was later caught stealing before a grounder to the pitcher capped the inning with Krammer stranded at third.
A leadoff walk gave the Gophers a base runner in the third. A sacrifice moved her to second, but the Boilermakers nabbed the lead runner as third baseman Molly Garst scooped up a grounder, pirouetted and tossed to the shortstop, Horiuchi on a fielder's choice play at third. A stolen base gave Minnesota a runner in scoring position, but a swinging strikeout stranded her at inning's end.
The Boilermakers had three bases runners in the fourth, but couldn't advance any of them past first base. Garst was hit by a pitch to start the first, but called for leaving first early on a stolen base attempt. Horiuchi was walked to fill the hole at first, but was caught stealing second to empty the bases yet again. Rzegocki drew a two-out walk, but was left stranded by a pop up.
Minnesota threatened after a Alex Davis bounced a one-out double off the right field wall and went to third on a grounder in the fourth. A liner back to the pitcher kept the shutout intact.
Purdue filled the bases with one out in the sixth, but couldn't muster a run. Allum walked, Garst singled through the right side and Horiuchi walked, but a pair of fly balls to center field kept the Boilermakers from adding to their 5-0 tally.
Petruzzi kicked off the seventh inning for Purdue, bouncing a double to the warning track in center field. The center fielder dropped the ball on a running catch attempt, putting Barr aboard. The pair pulled off a double steal and each advanced an extra base as the catcher's throw to sailed into left field as third base was left uncovered. With Barr at third base and one out, after a sky-high pop up to second base, Allen picked up an RBI with a grounder to the pitcher as the Gophers went for the sure out and allowed Barr to come home. A pop up wrapped up the Boilermakers' offensive day.
Davis kept hope alive for the Gophers with a double to right center to start the final stanza. A grounder pushed pinch runner Aubrey Davis over to third, but the Boilermaker defense held, catching a pop up in foul territory and fielding a grounder to second cleanly to cap the game.
The Boilermakers (25-24, 6-7 Big Ten) return to action at 2 p.m. ET Sunday, when they will face off with Gophers once again.