April 23, 2011
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Minnesota Golden Gophers snagged a 3-2 victory in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader with a two-run rally in the seventh inning. The Boilermakers led the game 2-1 heading into the final stanza, but could not hold on.
Purdue scored its two runs on six hits and three Gopher miscues, while Minnesota managed three runs on three hits and an error. Freshmen Andie Varsho and Lindsey Rains tallied two hits apiece to lead the Boiler bats.
Sara Moulton (24-12) picked up the win for Minnesota, while senior Suzie Rzegocki (23-12) issued seven strikeouts in the loss which saw her become the Purdue record holder for career innings pitched (881.2).
The Boilermakers stranded two runners after a hit, an error and a walk in the first. A single up the left field line put Rains on base. A throwing error on the back end of the play pushed her to second. Freshman Kim McMillan joined her with a two-out walk, before a grounder to first base capped the inning with no score.
Purdue managed a pair of unearned runs in the second. Junior Molly Garst was hit by a pitch, stole second and went to third as the catcher's throw sailed into the outfield. Varsho brought her home with a short single up the third baseline, then went to third on a grounder to the pitcher and a steal. A fielding error by the shortstop allowed Varsho to score making it 2-0.
Freshman Lauren Grant was hit by a pitch and sophomore Ashley Courtney followed with a one-out single to left center, but a double play kept Purdue from adding to its advantage.
An RBI double in the fifth snapped Rzegocki's no-hit bid. The two-out, two-bagger by Malisa Barnes plated Aubrey Davis, who reached on a one-out walk and was sacrificed to second.
Rains added her second hit of the game in the fifth, sending a two-out single up the right field line, but was left stranded.
The Gophers tied the score with one out in the seventh on a Natalie Neal solo home run to left. An error gave Minnesota another base runner, which was sacrificed to second. A Barnes single to center put UM on top 3-2. Rzegocki recorded her seventh K to bring her offense to the plate.
The Boilermakers put two runners on in the seventh, but couldn't muster a run. Garst sent a one-out single into right, but was caught stealing the following play. Varsho singled to left, but a grounder to first base thwarted the Purdue rally.
Purdue (27-13-1, 5-4 Big Ten) looks to even the score with a win in Game 2 of the doubleheader, slated to begin at 4:25 p.m.