March 31, 2012
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker softball team swept its Saturday doubleheader with Penn State 2-1 and 7-0 to move to 5-0 in Big Ten play for the first time in school history. Sophomore Danielle Fletcher set a school record for walks in a game with four in Game 2 of the twin bill, surpassing the mark of three tied 20 times in program lore.
Freshman Lexy Moore (14-2) struck out three in a Game 1 victory, while senior Katie Hackney (4-2) picked up the victory with 5 Ks in a relief effort in Game 2.
Junior Ashley Courtney led the Purdue bats with a 4-for-5 effort and five RBI in the series, including two multi-hit efforts. Sophomores Andie Varsho and Lindsey Rains posted multi-hit efforts in Game 1 and 2 respectively.
The Boilermakers (21-9, 5-0 Big Ten) and Nittany Lions wrap up the three-game set with a 1 p.m. contest on Sunday.
Purdue 2, Penn State 1
The Boilermakers got two runs off a first-inning double by Ashley Courtney and held on for the remainder of the game for the 2-1 victory over PSU.
Purdue scored its two runs on seven hits and an error and allowed Penn State a run on seven hits. Courtney went 2-for-2 officially in the game with a double, a single and a walk. Sophomore Andie Varsho also posted a pair of hits in the contest.
Freshman Lexy Moore (14-2) went the distance for Purdue, striking out three batters in the complete-game victory. Lisa Akamine (5-13) was saddled with the loss for the Nittany Lions despite striking out nine Boilermakers.
Courtney's game-winning hit to left center in the first inning allowed Purdue to take advantage of a Varsho single and a two-out walk to Danielle Fletcher.
Penn State wasted a single in the second, and stranded runners at the corners in the third before managing a score on two hits in the fourth. The leadoff batter was hit by a pitch. A single and a sacrifice moved her to third, from which she came home on a Morgan Long single up the middle. A pair of ground outs prevented further damage.
For their part, the Boilermakers put runners on in every inning, stranding nine in the game, including the bases loaded in the fifth. Senior Molly Garst and sophomore Tori Chiodo reached in the second on a single and a walk. Fletcher doubled and Courtney walked in the third. An error and a single put Garst and Varsho on in the fourth. The fifth inning saw sophomore Lindsey Rains hit by a pitch, Fletcher walked and Courtney single before a pair of strikeouts and a liner to left field capped the inning. In the sixth, Chiodo singled, but was caught stealing and Garst's walk was erased by a double play.
In the seventh inning, the Nittany Lions managed a two-out single by Bell, who was 3-for-4 in the contest, but saw a ground ball to second base wrap up the game.
Purdue 7, Penn State 0
The Boilermakers scored early and often in a 7-0 shutout in Game 2 of the twin bill. Fletcher drew a school record four walks as Purdue garnered a record-tying nine free passes from PSU pitchers in the game.
Purdue scored its seven runs on six hits and three Nittany Lion miscues, while PSU managed five hits in the contest. Junior Ashley Courtney went 2-for-3 to lead the Boilermaker bats as did sophomore Lindsey Rains.
Senior Katie Hackney (4-2) struck out five batters en route to the win, throwing in relief of freshman Alex Whittemore, who went two and a third innings in the start. Jordan Wheatley was saddled with the loss, giving up five runs in two innings. Marissa Diescher threw the final four innings for Penn State.
The Boilermakers put up two runs on two hits and an error in the first inning, and stranded the bases full. Rains started things off with a two-out double to left. Fletcher drew her first walk and Rains went to third on a passed ball. Courtney plated two with a double off the top of the center field wall. A throwing error by the center fielder allowed Courtney to go to third on the play. Junior Erika Petruzzi and freshman Ashley Burkhardt walked to fill the bases, but a pop up prevented further scoring.
Penn State threatened in the third putting two on with walks, but a fielder's choice play at third and a strikeout, Hackney's first of the game, kept the shutout intact.
Purdue tacked on three more runs on two hits and an error in the third. Rains led off the rally again with a triple to deep left center. Fletcher followed with a walk, setting up Courtney, who brought Rains home with a double to right center. Petruzzi scored Fletcher from third with a sacrifice fly. A fielding error by the first baseman allowed Courtney to come home the following play. A fielder's choice and fly out ended the inning with two aboard.
The Nittany Lions got a runner on third in the fourth, but could not score. A double, a walk and an illegal pitch put runners at second and third with two outs. A looking strikeout stranded both.
The Boilermakers picked up a trio of walks in the fourth, but could not capitalize in the fourth.
PSU got a pair of fifth-inning singles, but left both runners aboard as a strikeout and a grounder to second base brought Purdue to the plate.
The Boilermakers capped the win with a pair of insurance runs on two hits and an error in the sixth. Senior Molly Garst led off with a double to left center and went to third on a ground ball to the pitcher, which was the inning's second out. Fletcher then drew her record fourth walk. A fielding error by the shortstop plated Garst and put Courtney on base. Petruzzi singled up the middle to bring pinch runner MaryBeth Pavlick in from second base. A strikeout kept Purdue from adding to its 7-0 lead.
Penn State kept hope alive with a two-out single by Alyssa Renwick, but a fielder's choice play at second base clinched the Boilermaker win.