March 2, 2013
SAN MARCOS, Texas - The Boilermaker softball team scored early and often in a 6-2 win over North Texas Saturday morning. Sophomore Lexy Moore went the distance in the circle, striking out a season-best eight batters, and the offense poured in nine hits in the victory, the team's third straight.
Moore (3-4) allowed just three hits in the game, while the Boilermaker bats, led by juniors Andie Varsho and Danielle Fletcher did the rest. Varsho and Fletcher posted two hits apiece as seven Boilers managed a hit in the contest against Mean Green pitcher Lauren Poole (0-3).
The Boilermakers loaded the bases to start the game as sophomore Ashley Burkhardt reached on an error, junior Lindsey Rains singled and Varsho walked. Senior Maia Monchek picked up the RBI with patience, drawing a two-out , four-pitch walk. A fly ball stranded three, but the Boilers were on the board.
North Texas took advantage of a pair of walks in the bottom of the first, plating both runners on a two-out triple to the left center gap by Paige Kisling. A strikeout left Kisling aboard.
Purdue got the run back and more, plating four runs on three hits in the second inning. A triple by Varsho brought in two runs, scoring junior Tori Chiodo and Rains from third and first. Chiodo had reached on a single and advanced around, while Rains was hit by a pitch. The rally continued as a walk and a wild pitch put senior Erika Petruzzi on second, setting up a two-RBI double to the right center gap by Fletcher. A pop up capped the stanza.
Varsho singled and stole second to set up an RBI opportunity for Petruzzi in the fourth, but was thrown out in a close play at the plate after Petruzzi singled to right.
The Mean Green got two-out double in the fifth, but could not advance the runner. Both teams stranded a runner in the sixth, with Purdue leaving Gooding aboard after a two-out single and North Texas wasting a leadoff single.
The Boilers tacked on an insurance run in the seventh as Fletcher and Monchek combined hits. Fletcher posted a two-out single. Pinch runner Gabi Brown stole second and came home as Monchek lifted a double to left that the left fielder lost in the sun. Pinch runner Sydney Pencek swiped third, but was left stranded by a ground ball to the shortstop.
Moore closed out the game by forcing a ground out and two strikeouts.
The Boilermakers (9-9) return to action in a 6:30 p.m. ET game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Live streaming video will be available at http://www.txstatebobcats.com/showcase/#liveevents.