March 16, 2011
FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Boilermakers kicked off the final day of their spring break trip to Florida with a 6-1 win over Buffalo on Wednesday, which marked senior pitcher Suzie Rzegocki's school career record 72nd victory. The win pushed Rzegocki past Brooke Baker's tally of 71 victories from 2004-2007.
Rzegocki (12-6) struck out four in the complete-game victory, while Holly Johnson (2-5) was saddled with the loss for Buffalo. Tori Speckman also saw action in the game, throwing three and a third innings of relief for the Bulls.
The Boilermaker offense backed up Rzegocki with a six runs on 12 hits and an error. Freshman Andie Varsho went 3-for-4, while freshmen Danielle Fletcher, Tori Chiodo and Lindsey Rains each added two hits. Buffalo managed its one run on five hits.
Varsho tallied the game's first hit with a one-out single up the middle in the opening stanza. She stole second, but was left stranded by a pair of fly outs.
Fletcher reached on a two-base fielding error by the shortstop in the second inning. An infield single by Chiodo gave Purdue runners at the corners with two outs. Fletcher, however, was picked off at third to wrap the inning and prevent any scoring.
The Bulls put two runners on to no avail in the first and second innings. The team had its biggest scoring threat in the second, putting runners at second and third after a pair of singles and a sacrifice. A caught foul and a grounder to first base kept the shutout intact.
The Boilermakers combined a trio of hits for two runs in the third. Freshman Lindsey Rains lifted a leadoff single into shallow right field. She stole second and went to third on a Varsho single. Varsho swiped second, setting the table for senior Shelby Krammer, who delivered on the RBI opportunity with a double up the left field line.
Purdue tacked on three more runs on five hits in the fourth. A pair of doubles by Fletcher and Chiodo accounted for the first score. Chiodo then came home on a Rains single up to right. Rains stole second before being joined by junior Molly Garst, who walked. A Varsho single up the middle plated Rains and pushed Garst to third. Varsho went to second on the throw home, but a pop up prevented her from advancing further.
Buffalo got a leadoff single in the fourth, but a fly out and a 5-4-3 double play nullified the hit.
Fletcher added a two-out double in the fifth, but Purdue could not capitalize.
A sixth-inning triple by Garst made it 6-0. The hit scored Chiodo, who had walked to start the inning. A fly ball to left ended in a double play as Garst was called out sliding into home.
Freshman Kristin Morgan was hit by a pitch in the seventh, but was caught stealing later in the inning. The Bulls snapped the shutout, combining a walk and a triple in the final stanza. An Ashley Bertot triple to right center scored Kelly Cummings to put UB on the board. A ground ball to the pitcher capped the win.
Purdue (15-7) wraps up its stay in Florida with a 7 p.m. contest against Florida Gulf Coast.