May 9, 2010
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker softball team settled the score with the Indiana Hoosiers on Sunday, issuing a 5-0 shutout to garner a Senior Day victory. The victory clinched Purdue at least a share of the Crimson & Gold Cup all-sport title between the schools. (Purdue now leads the season Cup tally 10-8 with two points remaining to be decided - men's and women's outdoor track and field.)
Senior Jenna Alexander came up big in her final home contest, tallying two of the team's five hits, while driving in four RBI. Sophomore Molly Garst went 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored and the other RBI in the game for Purdue. The Boilermakers posted five runs on five hits and one IU miscue, while allowing the Hoosiers four hits in the contest.
Freshman Erika Petruzzi (5-3) picked up the win in relief, striking out one in three and two thirds innings after taking over in the circle for junior Suzie Rzegocki. Monica Wright (4-13) was saddled with the loss for Indiana. Rzegocki struck out four in three and a third innings before being removed from the game by first base umpire Doug Keller with two on and one out in the fourth.
Garst drew a leadoff walk in the Boilermaker half of the first and swiped second, but was left stranded.
Indiana got its first base runner in the second on a hit batsman and advanced the runner into scoring position on a wild pitch, but came up empty.
The Hoosiers threatened in the third, putting runners at the corners after a pair of infield singles and an illegal pitch call. Junior first baseman Shelby Krammer scooped up the ball and fired home the following play as Alexander applied a perfect tag to keep IU off the scoreboard. A looking strikeout left two IU players on base at inning's end.
The Boilermakers broke onto the scoreboard in third inning, managing two runs on two hits and an error. Krammer drew a free pass to start the stanza. Pinch runner Kayla Yates went to second on a sacrifice before scoring on Garst's double up the left field line. A two-out throwing error by the shortstop pushed Garst to third, before Alexander's single to right field brought her home.
The fourth inning could have spelled danger for the Boilermakers, but the defense worked its way out of a jam. The Hoosiers put two on via walk with one out, before Rzegocki was unceremoniously removed from the game by Keller, throwing a monkey wrench into Purdue's defensive plans. The resilient Boilermakers took a moment to settle in after a walk filled the bases, but Petruzzi recovered forcing a strike out and handling a grounder herself to escape the inning unscathed.
Petruzzi led off the Purdue fourth with a single up the middle, but was out to plays later on a fielder's choice which put senior Ashley Barr aboard. Barr promptly swiped second, but a pop up kept her from making it around the bases.
Indiana got another base runner via walk in the fifth, but a heads up defensive effort from Petruzzi helped Purdue turn a double play to nullify the free pass. The Boilermakers put a final stamp on the contest as Alexander bounced a three-run bomb off the Purdue flag pole in left center field with two outs. The long ball, Alexander's fifth of the season, drove in Garst and senior Liane Horiuchi, who were at first and second after a double and a walk.
Indiana wasted a sixth-inning single and left the bases loaded in the seventh to cap the Purdue victory. A throwing error, a bunt single and a walk filled the basepaths with two outs, but a grounder to second base was the final nail in the Boilermaker win.
Purdue (27-25, 8-8 Big Ten) wraps up the regular season with a Wednesday doubleheader in Champaign, Ill. The twin bill, which is set to begin at 5 p.m. ET, will air live on the Big Ten Network.