March 6, 2011
CARBONDALE, Ill. - A three-run fifth inning was enough to give the Kentucky Wildcats a win over the Boilermaker softball team in what started as a pitcher's duel Sunday morning. Purdue managed just three hits in the contest and stranded four runners on base, including three in scoring position.
Rachel Riley (3-1) struck out eight Boilermaker batters in the win, while senior Suzie Rzegocki (9-3) issued four strikeouts in the loss.
Junior Molly Garst went 2-for-3 to lead the Purdue bats, while senior Shelby Krammer also added a double. Kentucky managed its three runs on seven hits and two errors.
Garst led off the first with a single to center and moved to second on a sacrifice, but would get no further. She added a two-out single in the third and stole second, but a fly ball kept her from coming in to score.
Krammer supplied a one-out double in the fourth, but pinch runner MaryBeth Pavlick was left on base by a strikeout and fly out.
After putting a runner on in the second, third and fourth to no avail, the Wildcats broke through with three runs on three hits and an error in the fifth. Pitcher Rachel Riley helped her own cause with a leadoff double. Pinch runner Annie Rowlands scored on a single to center the next play. A throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt put runners at the corners. The Boilermakers just missed the tag on a fielder's choice play at the plate. With a runner at second and one out, Brittany Cervantes laced a single to the left field wall to make it 3-0 Kentucky. A strikeout and ground out wrapped up the inning.
Freshman Lindsey Rains was hit by a pitch with two outs in the sixth, but a fly ball kept her from moving around the bases.
The Wildcats mustered a seventh-inning single but the next batter flew out into a double play to bring Purdue to the plate one final time. A fly ball and two strikeouts sealed the UK win.
The Boilermakers (10-4) look to rebound when they take on Southern Illinois at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on purduesports.com. Live stats will be available with GameTracker. Live video of the game will be streamed on http://siusalukis.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/2011CoachBClassic.html.