April 20, 2013
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker softball team hung with the No. 15 Nebraska Cornhuskers for eight innings in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, but wound up on the short end of the doubleheader, falling 5-2 in nine innings and 12-2 in Game 2.
The Nebraska bats compiled 26 hits in the games, while limiting the Purdue offense to 12 hits. Junior Andie Varsho led the Boilermakers with a 3-for-6 effort, including a two-hit performance in the night cap.
The Husker pitchers issued Purdue 13 strikeouts, while the NU batters struck out just three times in the twinbill. Sophomore Lexy Moore (8-10) and freshman Lilly Fecho (8-14) took the losses for Purdue, while sophomore Alex Whittemore saw time in relief in both contests.
Purdue (20-25, 7-9 Big Ten) will take on the No. 15 Huskers (34-9, 12-3 Big Ten) at 11 a.m. Sunday to wrap up the three-game series. It is Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day at the Boilermaker Softball Complex. All Purdue faculty/staff members and their families will receive $1 admission to the game.
Nebraska 5, Purdue 2 (9 innings)
The Huskers knotted the score at 2-2 with a home run in the seventh inning to keep Game 1 going and combined five hits for a three-run effort in the top of the ninth to steal away a 5-2 win from the Boilermakers.
Nebraska scored its five runs on 10 hits and an error, while Purdue managed two runs on four hits and an error. Juniors Andie Varsho and Danielle Fletcher, senior Maia Monchek and freshman Paris Andrew accounted for the Purdue hits.
Tatum Edwards (21-6) struck out 10 batters in the complete-game win for Nebraska, while sophomore Lexy Moore (8-10) took the loss for Purdue after going eight and a third innings.
Nebraska struck first, capitalizing on a Purdue fielding miscue with runners at second and third and two outs in the second inning.
The Boilermakers got the run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Monchek. The hit plated junior Tori Chiodo, who had reached on a fielder's choice and swiped second. Purdue had runners at second and third after another fielder's choice, a walk to junior Lauren Grant and a double steal, but a ground ball to the pitcher prevented the Boilers from taking the lead.
The Huskers threatened in the third, putting runners on second and third with one out, but the Boilermaker defense held, forcing a ground ball to the shortstop and a liner to center field.
The Boilermakers combined a pair of hits and an error for a fourth-inning score. Fletcher led off with a single. An error on a sacrifice bunt gave Purdue two base runners, although one was later picked off. A ground ball to the pitcher put Chiodo in scoring position for Andrew, who picked up the RBI with a double to the left center gap.
Each team stranded a runner in the sixth, bringing the Huskers to the plate in the seventh, trailing 2-1. Pitcher Tatum Edwards helped her own caused, lifting a one-out solo home run to center field to knot the score and keep the game going.
The Boilermakers had a chance to end it in the seventh, but failed to cash in with runners at second and third with two outs. A pair of walks put Andrew and junior Lindsey Rains aboard. A wild pitch moved the pair into scoring position, but a fly ball to centerfield sent the game to extra innings.
Both teams wasted leadoff hits in the eighth, as the Huskers left a runner at third after a double and sacrifice, and Purdue had a fielder's choice nullify a leadoff single by Varsho.
Nebraska broke the game open with three runs on five hits in the ninth. A pair of one-out singles set up the game-winning three run home run by Courtney Breault. The Huskers got two more hits, before the Boilers turned their second double play of the game to end the stanza.
The Boilermakers went down in order on a ground out and two strikeouts to end the game.
Nebraska 12, Purdue 2
The Huskers scored early and often in the 12-2 Game 2 win, while holding the Boilermakers to just one hit through the first four innings and withstanding a late Purdue charge.
Nebraska racked up its 12 runs on 16 hits, the third-most hits allowed in program history (behind 17 twice), while Purdue scored two runs on eight hits.
Emily Lockman (13-3) went the distance for Nebraska, striking out three, while freshman Lilly Fecho (8-14) struck out one batter in six and a third innings before giving way to sophomore Alex Whittemore.
The Huskers plated two runs on three hits in the first inning, including an RBI single and RBI double, before Purdue turned a double play to end the stanza.
Sophomore Ashley Burkhardt gave Purdue its first hit, a one-out infield single, in the bottom of the inning, but Nebraska erased it with a double play of its own.
Both teams left the bases full in the second. Nebraska wasted two singles and a missed fielder's choice, while the Boilermakers could not convert after two walks and a hit by pitch.
Nebraska made it 5-0 with a trio of runs on four hits in the third. An RBI double and two RBI singles did the damage.
A two-run home run in the fifth by Alicia Armstrong gave the Huskers a 7-0 edge.
Senior Maia Monchek got a two-out single for the Boilers in the fifth, but Purdue couldn't break onto the scoreboard.
The Boilermakers finally broke through with a run on three hits in the sixth, but left the bases full. Purdue filled the bases on singles by Varsho and junior Tori Chiodo and a walk to junior Danielle Fletcher. A fielder's choice play at the plate accounted for the inning's second out, but Monchek laced a single into left field to put Purdue on the board. A ground ball to second base kept the Boilers from adding any more runs to their tally.
Nebraska put the game out of reach with a five run effort in the seventh inning. A leadoff solo home run got things started for the Huskers. A one-out single brought Whittemore into the game. Another single and a fielder's choice brought in another run. Taylor Edwards then launched a three-run home run to put Nebraska up 12-1.
Purdue capped the scoring with a run on three hits in the seventh, but it was too little too late. The Boilermakers combined a trio of singles and a fielder's choice for the score. Junior Lindsey Rains started the rally with a one-out single. A fielder's choice play saw Rains out at second, but put sophomore Ashley Burkhardt aboard. Varsho tallied her second hit of the game to set up an RBI single to right center by Fletcher. A fly ball to left, however, ended the game.