April 16, 2011
COLUMBUS, Ohio - A seven-run third inning and hits all around gave the Boilermaker softball team a 7-0 win over Ohio State on Saturday. The victory takes Purdue to 26-12-1 overall and 4-3 in the Big Ten campaign. The teams will face off again at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Purdue put up seven runs on 14 hits, including at least one by each batter, while Ohio State managed just three hits in the game. Junior Molly Garst, sophomores Ashley Courtney and Erika Petruzzi and freshmen Lindsey Rains and Tori Chiodo each tallied two hits for the Boilermakers.
Senior Suzie Rzegocki (22-11) struck out five in the complete-game effort, while Karisa Medrano (5-15) was charged with the loss for OSU.
Rains tallied the first hit of the game sending a bouncer towards third base with two outs. A fly ball to the warning track, however, kept her from making her way around the bases.
Petruzzi lifted a leadoff single into shallow center field in the second and was sacrificed over to second, but a caught fly ball and a grounder prevented a score.
The Buckeyes got a two-out single in the bottom of the inning, but could not do anything more.
Purdue jumped on the scoreboard in the third with seven runs on eight hits. An Andie Varsho single to left center plated Chiodo, who doubled off the right field wall to start the stanza. Varsho stole second before coming home as Rains drilled a two-run shot over the right field wall. Petruzzi drew a two-out walk and senior Shelby Krammer followed with a single to left, prompting pitcher Karisa Medrano's exit from the game. Freshman Lauren Grant scored Petruzzi with a single up the middle of new pitcher Kasie Kelly. Courtney singled into right to load the bases for Chiodo, who delivered an RBI with a single up the middle. Garst made it 7-0 with another single through the middle. A grounder to the pitcher finally stopped the rally.
Freshman Kim McMillan was the ninth Boilermaker to post a hit in the game with a one-out single up the middle in the fourth. Krammer reached and went to second as the right fielder dropped a fly ball. A walked filled the bases with Boilers, but a grounder to first base prevented Purdue from adding to its advantage.
Ohio State put two on with a single and a walk in the fourth, but a fly out and grounder kept the shutout intact.
Chiodo set the table in the fifth with a leadoff walk and a steal, but the OSU defense managed a double play and strikeout to nullify the threat.
Purdue got two more base runners in the sixth as McMillan drew a one-out walk and Petruzzi added a single up the middle, but could not convert them into tallies on the scoreboard.
A throwing error gave OSU a base runner with one out in the sixth, but the next batter lined into a double play to bring the Boilermakers to bat one final time.
Courtney led off the seventh with a single up the middle, but was called for leaving first early on a steal attempt later in the inning. Garst then doubled up the left field line, but was left stranded.
Despite allowing a one out single in the final stanza, Rzegocki ended the day with her fifth K to seal the win.