May 2, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS - The Boilermaker softball team capped a season sweep of the Minnesota Golden Gophers with an 11-2 mercy-rule win on Sunday. Five Purdue players combined for 10 hits in the victory, while the Boilermaker pitchers punched out five batters.
Garst went 3-for-3 at the plate with four runs scored, while tying the single-game stolen base record with three swipes in the game. Senior Ashley Barr, junior Suzie Rzegocki and freshman Erika Petruzzi each added two hits. Rzegocki tapped in four RBI for the team, while Barr and Petruzzi drove in three and two respectively.
Rzegocki picked up her 21st win of the season, striking out four in four and two thirds innings, while Petruzzi struck out one in an inning and a third of relief work. Alissa Koch (0-19) was saddled with the loss for Minnesota.
The Boilermakers took advantage of a leadoff free pass in the first, bringing the runner in for a score. Garst drew a full-count walk, was sacrificed to second, stole third and came home on a RBI grounder to third base by Rzegocki. The Gophers got Rzegocki at first, but could not fire home in time to nab Garst, who slid in under the tag.
The Gophers threatened to even the score in the second, putting a runner on third after a dropped pop up, a wild pitch and a sacrifice. Rzegocki escaped any damage with a pair of strikeouts to cap the stanza.
A trio of Minnesota miscues set Purdue up for two more runs in the third. A fielding error by the shortstop put senior Liz Allum aboard with one out. Garst reached on a bunt single, but the third baseman's throw to first sailed into right field, allowing Allum to move over to third on the play. Garst stole second, but the second baseman mishandled the incoming ball from the catcher, allowing Allum to slide home as the ball wound up in center field. Garst scooted to third on a grounder to third base, before coming home on a Rzegocki RBI double to the right center gap.
Petruzzi kicked off the fourth inning with a triple to right center, the 18th three-bagger of the year, tying the Purdue squad for the program's single season record. Barr picked up the RBI with a single to center field. She went to third with a steal and a sacrifice, but was left stranded by a ground out to third.
A one-out walk gave Minnesota a base runner in the fourth, but the Boilermaker defense pulled of a 5-4-3 double play to empty the bases and end the inning. The third baseman, Garst, fired to freshman Kristen Allen at second, who in turn threw it to first baseman Katie Hackney, who had entered the defensive lineup at the start of the stanza.
Garst lifted a double into shallow left field and promptly stole third to put a runner in scoring position at the start of the fifth inning. Senior Liane Horiuchi walked and rounded to steal second on the play. A walk put Rzegocki aboard to load the bases. Senior Jenna Alexander nabbed an RBI, reaching on a fielder's choice play at third base, while pushing Garst home. Petruzzi upped the Purdue lead to 7-0 with a two-run double to left center, plating Rzegocki and Alexander. A strikeout and high fly ball to right center prevented the Boilermakers from adding another run to their tally.
A fielding error put the leadoff Gopher on base in the fifth. Natalie Neal followed with a single up the middle to snap the no-hit bid. A single through the left side by Dannie Skrove filled the bases with nobody out. A Kari Dorle double off the right field wall drove in two runs to put Minnesota on the board. The Boilermakers record two outs with a grounder to short and a fielder's choice play at the plate, but a walk filled the bases once again, prompting a Purdue pitching switch. Petruzzi took over in the circle and forced the next batter to ground into a fielder's choice play at third to wrap up the inning.
The Boilermakers hung four runs on the Gophers with four hits and two walks in the sixth, to take an 11-2 lead. Allum started the rally with a single to right. Garst followed with a single to left. Rzegocki plated both with a single through the left side, before advancing to second on the throw home. A pair of walks put Alexander and Petruzzi aboard to pack the bases with Boilermakers. Barr stretched the Purdue advantage to nine runs with a two-run single up the middle. A grounder to second base brought the Gophers to the plate one final time.
Petruzzi sat Minnesota down in order on a pair of ground outs and a strikeout to cap the mercy-rule victory.
The Boilermakers (26-24, 7-7 Big Ten) return to action at 4 p.m. Saturday, when they take on the Indiana Hoosiers. The game, which will feature an alumni day celebration, will air tape-delayed that evening on the Big Ten Network.