April 28, 2012
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker softball team split its Saturday, Cancer Awareness Day, doubleheader with Wisconsin, winning the first game 7-2, but falling 7-1 in Game 2. Purdue racked up 11 hits in the opener, but just three in the night cap.
Freshman Lexy Moore picked up the Game 1 victory, striking out four in four and a third innings, while senior Katie Hackney took the Game 2 loss, despite issuing three Ks in four and a third innings.
Senior Molly Garst and sophomore Lindsey Rains led the Purdue bats with three hits apiece on the day. Garst put her name atop the Boilermaker record book for career runs with two in the twin bill, pushing her tally to 141 scores, one ahead of Andrea Hillsey (2002-2005) and Tricia Lilley (2003-2006).
The Boilermakers and Badgers will be back at it at 1 p.m. Sunday as a Senior Day battle with decide the series.
Game 1: Purdue 7, Wisconsin 2
The Boilermakers plated three runs in the first inning and never looked back, adding four more over the course of the game to put it out of reach.
Purdue scored its seven runs on 11 hits and three Badger miscues, while allowing Wisconsin two runs on seven hits and an error. Sophomore Lindsey Rains posted a perfect 3-for-3 effort at the plate, while registering two RBI and a run in the contest. Sophomores Andie Varsho and Tori Chiodo managed two-hit days.
Freshman Lexy Moore (20-8) went four and a third innings in the victory, while junior Erika Petruzzi and senior Katie Hackney held the Badgers at bay in relief work. Cassandra Darrah (19-8) struck out two and allowed just one earned run in the loss. Amanda Najdek tossed the final three and two thirds innings for UW.
The Boilermakers pushed three runs across in the first inning with aid from one hit and two fielding miscues. Rains was hit by a pitch and scored on a Varsho double to left for the first run of the game. A fielding error by the second baseman put junior Ashley Courtney aboard as Varsho scurried home. Sophomore Danielle Fletcher then walked before another fielding error, this one a dropped fly ball by the right fielder, pushed Courtney across. Purdue ended the inning with runners at second and third as a fly out capped the stanza.
Rains recorded a two-out bunt single in the second inning, but called out for leaving early on a steal attempt for the third out.
Wisconsin wasted a second-inning walk and also stranded a pair of runners in the third after a double and a walk.
Purdue picked up a run on four hits and an error in the third. Singles by Varsho and Courtney set up Fletcher, who singled to right field. Courtney and Varsho advanced but a throwing error by the right fielder allowed Varsho to make it home on the play. Courtney was tagged out sliding into third on the play. The Badgers switched pitchers to Najdek as junior Erika Petruzzi stepped to the plate and singled. Fletcher went to third and Petruzzi moved to second on a grounder, but another ground out kept the Boilermakers from adding more to the 4-0 lead.
Wisconsin broke the shutout with a run on three hits in the fourth. A trio of singles filled the basepaths with two outs. Pinch hitter Marissa Mersch drew a walk to plate the run. A strikeout left three Badgers on base.
The Boilermakers got the run back in the fourth, capitalizing on a UW wild pitch for the score. Junior Tori Chiodo singled and Rains followed. A ground out moved the pair into scoring position. A Najdek wild pitch allowed Chiodo to come home. A strikeout left Rains at third.
A solo home run in the fifth by Whittney Massey made it 5-2. Petruzzi entered the circle with a runner on second and one out and forced a liner and a foul out to escape the inning.
Purdue tacked on two insurance runs on three hits in the sixth. Sophomore Lauren Grant led off with a pinch hit single to left. Freshman Ashley Burkhardt replaced Grant on first base to run and quickly moved to third on a Chiodo single and a fielder's choice play. With runners at the corners, Rains lifted a double to the right center gap, bringing both around to score.
Wisconsin put two on with a hit by pitch and a double in the seventh, but the Boilermakers put in Hackney to close the door. Hackney recorded a strikeout, a pop up and a grounder to seal the victory.
Game 2: Wisconsin 7, Purdue 1
In Game 2, Wisconsin struck first with two runs in the opening stanza and held Purdue at bay, save a single run in the first inning, en route to the 7-1 win.
The Badgers scored seven runs on 11 hits and three Purdue miscues, while allowing the Boilermakers a run on three hits and an error. Senior Molly Garst posted two of Purdue's three hits in the contest and scored the lone run, which made her the Boilermakers' all-time runs leader at 141.
Cassandra Darrah (20-8) struck out six in the win after relieving Meghan Mcintosh just one out into the contest. Senior Katie Hackney (5-3) struck out three batters in four and a third innings, before being relieved by freshman Lexy Moore, who issued one strikeout in the final two and two thirds.
A Shannel Blackshear home run put Wisconsin up 2-0 just four batters into the game. The home run also plated Mary Massei, who had drawn a leadoff walk.
The Boilermakers cut the margin in half with a run on a hit in the first, but stranded three runners. Garst singled to center to start the inning. Sophomore Lindsey Rains was hit by a pitch. A fielder's choice play with everyone safe loaded the bases. Sophomore Danielle Fletcher waited out a five-pitch walk to put Purdue on the board. Darrah took over in the circle for Wisconsin and prompted a pop up and a strikeout to erase the Boilermaker threat. The Badgers loaded the bases in the second, but the Boilermakers defense held.
Purdue put runners on in the third and fourth, but were unable to score. Junior Ashley Courtney posted a two-out single in the third, while a catcher's interference call put junior Erika Petruzzi on board to lead off the fourth.
Wisconsin pushed across four runs on three hits and three Purdue miscues in the fifth. A throwing error and a single put runners at the corners. The trail runner stole second, but the throw to the base sailed into center field, allowing the lead runner to come home. A single and a throwing error gave the Badgers runners at second and third with one out as Moore took over in the circle. A fielder's choice play at the plate resulted in a safe call. A bunt single brought in the third run, and a double steal made it 6-1.
Garst singled and stole second in the fifth inning. She appeared to advance to third on a fly out, but was called out after an appeal for leaving early when tagging up.
The Badgers added one final run in the sixth, combining a pair of doubles.
Purdue went down in order in the sixth and seventh to cap the game.