Feb. 12, 2011
BATON ROUGE, La. - The Boilermakers hung a seven-run, 10 hit effort on the Louisiana Tech softball team en route to a 7-3 season-opening victory on Saturday. Junior Molly Garst and freshman Tori Chiodo each turned in two-hit efforts, while senior Suzie Rzegocki struck out four batters in the win.
Rzegocki tossed the complete game for the Boilermakers, while Erin Kipp (1-2) was saddled with the loss for La. Tech after allowing five earned runs in six innings of work. Janna Frandup threw the seventh inning for the Lady Techsters.
The Boilermakers wasted no time jumping on the scoreboard, tallying a run on a hit in the opening stanza. Garst led off with a double to left field and advanced to third on an illegal pitch. A grounder to the shortstop picked up an RBI for rookie Lauren Grant as Garst scurried home.
Purdue put two on in the second, but could not add to its lead. Sophomore Ashley Courtney drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a two-out infield single by Chiodo. A fielder's choice left two stranded.
The Lady Techsters got their first base runner in the third inning as Heather Doiron led off with a single to right. A sacrifice moved her into scoring position, but a pop up and a stellar play on a grounder to third base, kept La. Tech scoreless.
Senior Shelby Krammer led off the fourth with a single up the middle. A pair of fielder's choice plays at second base kept Purdue from converting in the inning.
Another stout defensive effort in the fourth kept the shutout intact. To open the stanza, Garst made a diving snag near second base and hoisted the ball to an outstretched Grant at first to record the out.
Purdue combined two hits and an error for a run in the fifth. Chiodo led off with a single into shallow center field. Chiodo took off for second as classmate Andie Varsho sent a single into center. The center fielder misplayed the ball, allowing Varsho to wind up at second and the speedy Chiodo to score. Garst walked before a sacrifice moved the runners into scoring position. A strikeout and liner to third kept the Boilermakers from adding to their 2-0 advantage.
A single and a wild pitch gave La. Tech a scoring opportunity in the bottom of the fifth, but a looking strikeout and fly ball to center thwarted the chance.
The Boilermakers went up 5-0 with three runs on two hits in the sixth. A leadoff walk put Rzegocki aboard. A sacrifice and a wild pitch pushed her over to third as pinch hitter Kim McMillan stepped to the plate. A single off the pitcher's shin was enough to give McMillan the RBI. A fielder's choice put Chiodo on base for the third time and Varsho joined her with a walk. Garst pounded a double off the right field wall to drive in Chiodo and advance Varsho to third. An illegal pitch brought Varsho home to cap the scoring.
The Lady Techsters responded with three runs on three hits and an error in the bottom of the inning. Pitcher Erin Kipp posted a leadoff double. An errant throw on a fielder's choice play at third put runners at the corners. A wild pitch allowed a run and advanced pinch runner Charday Wilson to third. Designated player Janna Frandup sent a one-out single into right to plate another run. A Meghan Knowles double brought pinch runner Michelle Jones home before a pair of grounders rounded out the inning.
Purdue managed a pair of insurance runs on three hits in the seventh. Grant doubled to deep left center. Freshman Danielle Fletcher, who entered the game at catcher in the sixth, followed with a single to left center. Fletcher advanced to second on the throw home as Grant scored. Courtney provided an RBI single to left to make it 7-3 Boilermakers.
Louisiana Tech went down in order in the seventh on a strikeout, a liner to third base and a ground ball to the shortstop to clinch the Purdue victory.
The Boilermakers (1-0) return to action at 4 p.m. ET when they take on the host No. 19 LSU Tigers. Live statistics will be available on purduesports.com via the GameTracker feature.