March 27, 2011
OXFORD, Ohio - An awe-inspiring eighth inning featuring a defensive triple play and a walk-off home run by freshman Kim McMillan capped the Boilermakers' 3-1 comeback win over Ball State Sunday afternoon.
Purdue tied the game at 1-1 on an Andie Varsho RBI double off the wall in the seventh, setting up the eighth-inning heroics. Varsho's hit brought in senior Suzie Rzegocki, who had drawn a leadoff walk.
In the eighth, Jennifer Gilbert was placed on second for Ball State via the international tie breaker rule. An Alyssa Collins single and a steal gave the Cardinals runners at second and third. The next batter, Alicia Barkley, grounded into the triple play to end the scoring threat. Barkley hit the ball back to Rzegocki in the circle, who fired home to prevent the run. Gilbert tried running back toward third where she was promptly tagged by third baseman Tori Chiodo. Collins, who was already at third had to head back towards second, where she was tagged by second baseman Ashley Courtney. Courtney turned and noticed Barkley a few steps from second and chased her down for the final out.
Courtney was in the spotlight again as she was placed on second in the Boilermaker half of the eighth. A sacrifice bunt by Chiodo pushed her to third. Ball State put an extra player in the infield, pulling their right fielder, to try to thwart a hit through the infield. McMillan spoiled the Cardinal effort by lifting a full count home run over the left field wall.
Rzegocki (16-6) added yet another career record to her listing in the game, tallying seven strikeouts in the complete-game victory to boost her total to 626. The effort snapped the previous mark of 620 set by Diana LaRiva (2003-2006). Audra Sanders (11-7) was saddled with the loss for BSU.
Purdue scored its three runs on seven hits and an error, while allowing Ball State a run on six hits and an error. Varsho went 3-for-4 to lead the Purdue bats, while McMillan added a pair of hits including the game winner.
Ball State combined a pair of hits for a run in the opening stanza. A one-out infield single and a ground out put a runner on second for Taylor Rager, who drove in the run with a single to right. The Cardinals filled the bases with another hit and a walk, but a grounder to the pitcher prevented further damage.
Purdue threatened in the bottom of the inning after a pair of hits to start the stanza. Junior Molly Garst lifted a leadoff double just out of the reach of the diving left fielder. Freshman Andie Varsho laid down a bunt single to push Garst to third. Varsho stole second to move into scoring position, but a pair of fly balls and a pop up kept the Boilermakers off the scoreboard.
A hit, a walk and an error loaded filled the bases for Ball State in the third, but a ground ball back to the pitcher kept the score intact. Rzegocki issued the record-setting punch out with two runners on in the third, accounting for the first out of the stanza.
Varsho added a two-out single and stole a base in the third, but a fly ball to left stranded her at inning's end.
Freshman Kim McMillan sent a two-out single up the middle in the fourth, but a fielder's choice play at second against kept Purdue off the scoreboard.
A bunt single gave BSU a runner in the fifth, but a strikeout and a double play brought the Boilermakers back to the plate.
The Boilermakers stranded another runner in scoring position in the fifth. Rzegocki drew a leadoff walk, but was out at second the following play as freshman Lindsey Rains reached on a fielder's choice. A sacrifice pushed Rains to second, but a liner to the third baseman capped the inning.
A pop up thwarted another Purdue scoring opportunity in the sixth. Sophomore Erika Petruzzi led off with a single through the left side and was sacrificed to second. McMillan drew a two-out walk, but the pair was left stranded by the fly ball.
Ball State went down in order in the seventh to set up Varsho's game-tying double.
The Boilermakers (19-7) return to action on Thursday when they take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend.