April 15, 2012
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A two-run home run by Erika Petruzzi in the fifth inning was all the offense Purdue needed to take a 2-1 win over the Ohio State softball team in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader.
The Boilermakers scored their two runs on three hits, while allowing the Buckeyes one run on three hits and an error.
Freshman Lexy Moore (17-5) struck out six Buckeyes in the win and sat down the last 16 batters she faced in order. Mikayla Endicott (15-10) struck out five batters in the loss for Ohio State.
OSU scored first with a run on three hits and an error in the first. A pair of singles and a fielding error put runners at the corners for the Buckeyes. A single to left plated the run.
Sophomore Danielle Fletcher gave Purdue its first base runner with a leadoff single up the middle in the second. She was caught stealing, however, for the second out of the inning.
Sophomore Andie Varsho got a two-out single in the fourth, but the Boilermakers left her stranded.
Junior Ashley Courtney drew a leadoff walk in the fifth and Petruzzi pushed her home with a towering two-run home run off the scoreboard in right field.
Sophomore Lindsey Rains walked and stole second in the sixth, but was left stranded by a caught foul ball and a grounder to the pitch.
The Boilermakers closed out the game sitting the Buckeyes down in order in the seventh on a trio of ground outs. The outs marked the 16th straight for Moore, who didn't allow a runner after a two-out hit-batsman in the second inning.
Purdue looks to finish off the doubleheader sweep in Game 2, which is slated to begin at 2:05 p.m. ET and air live on the Big Ten Network.