April 13, 2013
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Purdue softball team secured the season series with Indiana, downing the Hoosiers 9-1 on Saturday. The Boilermakers hammered Indiana with 12 hits, while holding the Hoosier offense at bay.
Purdue scored its nine runs on 12 hits, led by a 3-for-4 effort by junior Andie Varsho. Seniors Erika Petruzzi and Maia Monchek along with junior Tori Chiodo and freshman Paris Andrew also chipped in two-hit performances.
Freshman Lilly Fecho (7-12) struck out four batters in the complete-game victory, while Lora Olsen (6-8) was saddled with the loss for Indiana.
The Boilermakers drew two walks and got a single from Varsho, but were unable to score in the opening stanza. Junior Lindsey Rains earned a one-out free pass, but was caught stealing. Varsho laced a two-out single into center field and promptly swiped second, before junior Danielle Fletcher came aboard with a walk. A ground ball to the pitch kept Purdue from converting on the scoring chance.
Indiana got a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning, but sharp glove skills wrapped a fielder's choice and a double play to end the stanza.
Junior Tori Chiodo and senior Maia Monchek led off the second with back-to-back singles. A ground out moved the pair into scoring position, but the Boilers were unable to push them home.
Purdue threatened again in the third, putting a runner on third, but could not break onto the scoreboard. Rains was hit by a pitch to start the stanza, stole second and went to third on a ground out. A strikeout kept the Boilers from scoring.
The Boilermakers broke the game open with six runs on four hits in the fourth. Singles by Chiodo and Andrew gave Purdue runners at the corners with one out. Senior Ashley Courtney laid down a squeeze bunt and Andrew slid around the tag at the plate to put the Boilers on the board. A fielder's choice play loaded the bases for Rains, who picked up an RBI as she was hit by a pitch. Varsho plated two more runs with a double to the left center gap. Senior Erika Petruzzi made it a 6-0 game lifting a high fly ball to shallow center field, which came down just out of reach, to bring Rains and Varsho home. A ground ball to the shortstop capped the rally.
Indiana had runners on the corners in the fourth after a pair of two-out singles, but the Boilers forced a fly ball to end the threat.
Purdue extended its lead with two insurance runs in the sixth. Rains reached on a bunt single and went to second on a throwing error by the catcher, before coming home as Varsho lasered a single up the middle. Varsho wound up at second on the play, setting up an RBI chance for Petruzzi, who came through with a single to right center. Petruzzi was tagged out trying to reach second after the hit to end the inning, but the Boilers led 8-0.
The Hoosiers extended the game with a run on two hits and an error in the sixth. A pair of singles put runners and a ground out put runners at second and third with one out. A fielding miscue allowed a run to score, but a ground out and fly out prevented further damage.
The Boilermakers got the run back in the seventh with two hits. Monchek sent a one-out single up the middle. Pinch runner Sydney Pencek went to third as Andrew looped a single up the right field line. Andrew attempted to steal second and was caught, but the play allowed Pencek to scurry home to give Purdue a 9-1 lead. Indiana managed a two-out base runner in the seventh, care of a Boilermaker miscue, but Purdue forces a fly out to seal the win.
The Boilermakers (18-22, 5-6 Big Ten) will face off with the Hoosiers at 1 p.m. Sunday in the series finale. The game will broadcast live on BTN.com through Purdue All-Access.