March 2, 2012
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Boilermaker softball team suffered its first loss of the season Friday afternoon, falling to Temple 5-1 at the Citrus Classic. Purdue (10-1) will look to bounce back against No. 18 Oregon at 10 a.m. Saturday.
The Boilermakers tallied one run on five hits in the game, but stranded seven runners, including four in scoring position. Temple managed five runs on five hits and an error. Sophomore Lindsey Rains led the Purdue bats with a 2-for-3 effort, including the lone RBI.
Brooklin White (3-1) picked up the win for the Owls, while senior Katie Hackney (1-1) was saddled with the loss despite striking out five in relief. Freshman Alex Whittemore started the game for the Boilermakers.
Purdue scored in the first inning, combining a hit and a walk. Sophomore Andie Varsho drew a one-out walk and stole second. A single to right by Rains gave the Boilermakers a 1-0 lead. Rains went to second on the throw home, but was left on base by a pair of fly balls.
Temple got the run back combining two hits and a walk. A leadoff single and two wild pitches put a runner at third. The Boilermakers caught the runner in a run-down between third and home on a fielder's choice play, but that allowed the batter and another runner, who had walked, to advance into scoring position. A single up the middle plated one run, but Purdue got the final out with a tag at the plate on the play.
The Boilermakers loaded the bases to no avail in the third. Sophomore Tori Chiodo walked and was joined by Varsho and Rains, who singled with one out. A liner to the shortstop and another fly ball kept Purdue off the scoreboard.
Temple capitalized on Purdue miscues for four runs in the third. A pair of fielder's choice plays and a hit batsman loaded the bases with one out. A walk scored the first run. A throwing error on a fielder's choice play at the plate allowed two more scores. A two-out single to right made it 5-1.
Both teams stranded a runner in the fourth and came up empty with 1-2-3 innings in the fifth.
Sophomore Danielle Fletcher gave Purdue life in the sixth with a leadoff single to left center. A sacrifice moved her to second, but a fly ball to left erased the scoring opportunity.
The Boilermakers had one final chance in the seventh as Chiodo hit a one-out single, but a fly ball and a grounder to the pitcher sealed the game.
Purdue (10-1) returns to action at 10 a.m. when the team faces No. 18 Oregon.