March 9, 2013
WACO, Texas - In two very different games, No. 20 Baylor managed to get past the Boilermaker softball team to sweep Saturday's doubleheader. The Bears took Game 1 8-0 in six innings and squeaked out a 1-0 win in Game 2.
Senior Ashley Courtney and junior Andie Varsho each managed a two-hit effort as the Boilermakers posted a combined nine hits in the games.
Purdue will get another shot at the Bears in the series finale at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.
Baylor 8, Purdue 0 (6 innings)
The Boilermakers managed just two hits, both from junior Andie Varsho, and stranded seven runners, while Baylor put up eight runs on 13 hits in the victory.
Whitney Canion (10-2) struck out seven in the win for the Bears, while sophomore Lexy Moore (3-5) threw the complete game for Purdue in the loss.
Baylor struck first, plating two runs on three hits in the bottom of the first. A two-out double plated a runner from third, after a leadoff single and two ground outs. A single to left brought in the second run.
The Boilermakers put a runner on in both the second and third, but couldn't score. Senior Erika Petruzzi drew a leadoff walk in the second, but was later caught stealing. In the third, senior Maia Monchek was hit by a pitch to start the inning. A fielder's choice play at second put senior Ashley Courtney aboard, but a fly out and grounder left her stranded.
Purdue got its first hit in the fourth as Varsho laid down a beauty of a bunt. She was sacrificed over to second and left stranded by a strikeout.
The Bears got a hit in the fourth, but could not add to their advantage.
The Boilermakers looked primed to score in the fifth after loading the bases on two walks and a hit by pitch. With two outs, an apparent hit by pitch was overturned and deemed a strikeout to end the inning. Junior Tori Chiodo and sophomore Ashley Burkhardt walked, while freshman Mary Gooding was hit.
Baylor put up four runs on five hits in the bottom of the inning to go up 6-0. The Bears combined a walk and five singles for the scores.
Varsho led off the sixth with a single and went to second as junior Danielle Fletcher drew a one-out walk. Another strikeout and a grounder to the shortstop kept Purdue from capitalizing.
Baylor finished the game, plating two runs on a triple to the left field wall in the sixth. A pair of singles set the table for the game clincher.
Game 2: Baylor 1, Purdue 0
The Boilermakers had scoring opportunities in Game 2, but could not capitalize on them, falling 1-0 in Game 2. Purdue posted seven hits in the contest, including a 2-for-3 effort by senior Ashley Courtney, but stranded nine runners in the loss.
Heather Stearns (6-1) struck out six in the win for Baylor, while Whitney Canion picked up her second save, entering with a runner on in the seventh. Freshman Lilly Fecho (5-5) was saddled with the loss for Purdue, despite issuing four strikeouts.
The Boilermakers had an RBI opportunity in the opening stanza after a leadoff error, but came up empty. Sophomore Ashley Burkhardt reached on a fielding miscue by the shortstop, was sacrificed to second and went to third on a ground out, but failed to score.
Purdue had hits in the second, third and fourth, but the game remained scoreless. Senior Maia Monchek had a second inning single. Freshman Mary Gooding and Burkhardt posted singles to start the third and advanced into scoring position on a passed ball, before Baylor recorded three straight outs. In the fourth, senior Ashley Courtney came up with a two-out single.
Baylor had just one baserunner in the first three innings with a third-inning walk, but strung together three hits for a run in the fourth. A leadoff double set the table for the score, which came on a single to right center. Another single followed, but the Boilers caught a runner stealing and forced a strikeout and line out to escape further damage.
Senior Erika Petruzzi poked a one-out single into left field in the sixth and was sacrificed over to second, but a shoe-top grab by the shortstop held Purdue scoreless.
The Boilermakers loaded the bases in the seventh, but could not push a run across. Courtney ripped a single to left field to start the inning and Chiodo added a bunt single. A fielder's choice play at the plate and a walk to junior Lindsey Rains filled the bases, but a fly ball to center field quashed the Purdue rally.
Purdue (11-11) wraps up the series with the Bears at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.