April 2, 2011
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermakers peppered Iowa with 10 hits, including three home runs, in a 12-1 run-rule victory to open the home and conference seasons on Saturday. Senior Suzie Rzegocki and freshmen Lindsey Rains and Danielle Fletcher supplied the long balls.
Rzegocki (17-7) also went the distance for Purdue in the circle, striking out five in the complete-game effort. Chelsea Lyon (10-9) was saddled with the loss for the Hawkeyes.
Nine different players posted hits in the contest for Purdue, including a 2-for-3 effort by Rains, who tallied also three RBI. Iowa managed one run on seven hits and three Boilermaker miscues, while committing one error of its own.
The Hawkeyes combined a pair of first inning doubles for a run. Johnnie Dowling tallied the first with one out and scored on a Stephanie Ochoa hit two batters later.
Purdue jumped on the scoreboard with four runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning. Junior Molly Garst singled to lead off the Boilermaker attack and was sacrifice to second and went to third on a passed ball. A fielder's choice put freshman Kim McMillan aboard and she promptly stole second to put two in scoring position for sophomore Erika Petruzzi. Petruzzi delivered with a two-run double to left center. Rzegocki brought Petruzzi in with a two-out homer over the centerfield wall.
The Hawkeyes managed a pair of hit in the second, but stranded the runners in scoring position.
The Boilermakers tacked on another run in the second as Rains lifted a one-out bomb over the wall in center. The long ball was her second in as many games. Purdue had a chance for more after freshman Andie Varsho reached on a fielder's choice and stole second, but could not bring her home.
A hit and an error put two Hawkeyes on in the third, but the defense held with a strikeout and fly out to bring the Boilermaker bats to the plate.
A three-run shot by Fletcher boosted the Purdue advantage to 8-1 in the third. A walk put Petruzzi on base to start the inning. A sacrifice moved her to second and Rzegocki walked to fill the hole at first, before Fletcher cleared the bases with the shot to left field. Freshman Tori Chiodo followed with a bunt single and Garst walked, before a passed ball put both in scoring position. A grounder to the shortstop kept the Boilermakers from adding to the lead.
Iowa had runners at the corners in the fourth after a walk, a single and a fielder's choice, but a grounder to short kept them from scoring.
The Purdue offense kept pounding out the hits, scoring four runs on four hits and an error in the fourth. A pair of singles put McMillan and senior Shelby Krammer on with one out in the inning. Rzegocki reached on a fielding error by the second baseman, loading the bases. A fielder's choice play at the plate put Fletcher aboard and brought pinch hitter Lauren Grant to the plate. The freshman sent a long single into right field, bringing in pinch runner MaryBeth Pavlick and Rzegocki. Rains followed with a double to right center, driving in Grant and Fletcher. A fly ball to center capped the inning.
Iowa threatened in the fifth, but could not prevent the run-rule win. A one-out fielding error by the first baseman gave the Hawkeyes life. A fielding error by the shortstop put runners at first and second with two outs. Michelle Zoeller lobbed a single through the infield, advancing the runners, but the lead runner attempted to score on the play and was tagged out to end the game.
The Boilermakers (20-8, 1-0 Big Ten) will face off with the Hawkeyes (19-13, 2-1 Big Ten) again at noon Sunday in a game that will be televised live on the Big Ten Network. Lisa Byington and Stacey Phillips will have the call. The game also will be broadcast live on WSHY 1410 AM and on purduesports.com.