May 11, 2012
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - No. 22 Michigan edged the Boilermaker softball team 2-1 in Game 1 of the three-game series on Friday. Purdue looks to finish the regular season strong when the teams meet again in a noon doubleheader on Saturday.
Michigan managed its two runs on nine hits and two errors, while the Boilermakers scored their run on six hits and two errors. Sophomore Lindsey Rains went 2-for-3 with an RBI to lead the Purdue bats. The Wolverines stranded 10 runners, while Purdue left five aboard.
Haylie Wagner (28-5) picked up the win for Michigan, while Lexy Moore (20-10) was saddled with the loss for the Boilermakers, despite striking out three.
Junior Erika Petruzzi sent a two-out double into left center in the first for the game's first hit, but was left stranded by a ground out.
A hit batsman with bases loaded and two outs put Michigan on the board. A fly ball to left field wrapped up the stanza without further damage.
The Boilermakers loaded the bases in the second on a pair of two-out errors and a single by freshman Ashley Burkhardt, but a fly ball to deep center field kept Purdue from cashing in.
Purdue had runners at the corners in the third with one out in the third, but could not break onto the scoreboard. Rains led off with a bloop single to right, stole second and went to third on an infield single by junior Ashley Courtney. Courtney was called for leaving early on a steal attempt and a strikeout ended the inning.
The Wolverines threatened in the third, filling the bases on a single, a walk and a fielder's choice, but Rains made a diving snag in shallow center field to erase the threat.
The Boilermakers broke through with a run on two hits in the fifth. Sophomore Tori Chiodo led off with a single up the middle and went to second on a ground out. Rains picked up the RBI with a double to left. She was tagged out at second after making a wide turn toward third. A strikeout accounted for the third out, but the game was tied 1-1.
Michigan took a 2-1 lead on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning. The fly ball came with runners at second and third after two singles and a ground out. A strikeout stranded a runner at third as the inning closed.
The Boilermakers went down in order in the sixth and seventh to close out the game.
Purdue wraps up the regular season with a noon doubleheader against the Wolverines. The team would then find out its NCAA Tournament fate at 10 p.m. Sunday.