April 9, 2011
Ann Arbor, Mich. - Purdue scored first but could not hold off the Michigan bats, falling to the No. 4 Wolverines 13-1 in five innings on Saturday. The Boilermakers started the game with three straight hits, but Michigan managed four home runs, including a grand slam, en route to the win.
Jordan Taylor (18-3) earned the victory for Michigan, striking out eight of the 18 Boilermakers she faced. Senior Suzie Rzegocki (20-8) managed just one strikeout while going the distance for Purdue.
Michigan scored its 13 runs on 11 hits and an error, while Purdue scored one run on four hits and an error. Rzegocki, junior Molly Garst and freshmen Andie Varsho and Lindsey Rains accounted for the Purdue hits.
It took Purdue just two batters to jump on the No. 4 Wolverines. Garst led off the game with a triple to left center. Varsho brought her home right away with a single up the middle. Varsho stole second and went to third as Rains lifted a single to shallow center field. A double play and a strikeout kept the Boilermakers from adding to the advantage.
Michigan bounced back in the bottom of the inning as Amanda Chidester lifted a grand slam to center. The Wolverines had loaded the bases with a double, a single and a walk. A single and a throwing error gave UM runners at first and second with two outs. A Lyndsay Doyle triple brought in both unearned runs.
The Wolverines added two more runs in the seventh. A Caitlin Blanchard single to shallow center accounted for both scores after a pair of hit by pitches and a ground out gave UM runners at second and third. Michigan stranded two in scoring position at inning's end as Rzegocki registered her first strikeout of the game.
Chidester hit Purdue again in the third with a three-run shot, bringing in runners who reached on a fielder's choice and a walk. Ashley Lane added a solo home run to make it 12-1.
The Boilermaker finally got another base runner in the fourth as Rains reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. She was caught stealing in a very close play at second, however, for the second out of the inning.
Amy Knapp lifted a solo home run with one out in the fourth to add to the Michigan advantage.
Down to their final out in the fifth, the Boilermakers got a single from Rzegocki to keep the game going, but a grounder to first base sealed the game.
The Boilermakers (24-9-1, 2-1 Big Ten) will face off against the Wolverines again Sunday with the first pitch slated for 2 p.m.