March 3, 2012
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The bats of No. 18 Oregon proved to be too strong for the Boilermaker softball team Saturday morning as the Ducks topped Purdue 8-1 on Day 2 of the Citrus Classic.
Purdue scored its one run on six hits, while allowing Oregon eight runs on nine hits. Junior Maia Monchek led the Purdue bats with two hits.
Karissa Hovinga (4-0) picked up the win for the Ducks, while junior Erika Petruzzi (1-1) was saddled with the loss, despite striking out three in four and two thirds innings of work. Senior Katie Hackney threw the final inning and a third for Purdue.
Sophomore Andie Varsho tallied Purdue's first hit with a one-out single in the first. A fielder's choice play at second saw her out, then a grounder to third base stranded a runner.
The Ducks scored first, turning a leadoff single into a run in the first. After the bunt, a wild pitch, a sacrifice and a ground out brought the runner around the bases to score.
Oregon made it 2-0 combining a walk and two hits in the fourth. A two-out walk and a single put two on. A Sam Pappas single to shallow left scored one run. The throw home moved runners to second and third, but senior Molly Garst made a leaping snag on a fly ball to prevent further damage.
The Boilermakers broke onto the scoreboard with a run on two hits in the fifth. Monchek led off with an infield single and junior Ashley Courtney reached on a bunt single. Pinch runner Gabi Brown came in for Monchek and went to third on a ground out, before scoring another grounder to second base, putting Purdue on the board. Purdue had a chance for more runs after sophomore Tori Chiodo reached on a walk, but a strikeout stranded two.
The Ducks got the run back and three more in the bottom of the inning. Two singles and a walk filled the bases, then a sacrifice fly plated the first run. A two-run single by pinch hitter Lindsey Chambers brought in two more. A walk and a hit batsman loaded the bases again, prompting a pitching change. Hackney entered the game with bases loaded and two outs in the inning. She allowed a walk for a run, but forced a grounder to second base to stop the bleeding.
Purdue missed an opportunity for a score in the sixth, loading the bases with one out, but failing to push a run across. Sophomore Lindsey Rains reached on a bunt single, Fletcher walked and Monchek singled to right to set up the RBI chance. A pair of strikeouts ended the scoring threat.
Oregon tacked on two more insurance runs on a Kailee Cuico home run in the sixth.
The Boilermakers put a runner on in the final stanza as Garst bounced a two-out single off the pitcher, but a grounder to second base ended the game.
Purdue (10-2) looks to rebound against South Alabama.