April 9, 2013
CHICAGO - The Boilermaker softball team outlasted the dropping temperatures and strong winds to post a 7-4 win over Loyola on Tuesday. Purdue scored in the second, fifth and seventh innings and held off a late Rambler rally for the win.
Purdue scored its seven runs on eight hits and four Loyola miscues, while the Ramblers posted four runs on eight hits. Juniors Tori Chiodo and Andie Varsho, sophomore Ashley Burkhardt and freshman Paris Andrew registered two hits apiece for the Boilermakers.
Sophomore Lexy Moore (6-9) struck out four in a relief effort after entering the game two batters into the first inning. Sophomore Alex Whittemore started the contest for Purdue. Brittany Gardner (8-6) took the loss for Loyola.
Varsho drew a two-out walk in the first inning and swiped second, taking sole possession of fifth place on the Purdue career steals list, but was left stranded.
The Boilers gave up a pair of walks to start the bottom first, prompting Moore to take over in the circle. The runners moved to second and third on an illegal pitch, but the Purdue defense held, forcing a ground out and two strikeouts to escape the inning unscathed.
Purdue broke onto the scoreboard in the second, scoring two runs on two hits and three Loyola miscues. A fielding error gave the Boilers a leadoff baserunner. A single by Chiodo, a throwing error and a steal put runners at second and third with nobody out. A fielder's choice play at the plate put Andrew aboard. She then stole second two to put two runners in scoring position. A fielding error by the second baseman put senior Ashley Courtney on and allowed both runs to score. Burkhardt extended her hitting streak to 15 games with a single, but a base running miscue brought the inning to an end.
After two quiet innings, the Boilermakers struck for three runs on three hits and an error in the fifth. Andrew singled to start the inning and went to second on a missed fielder's choice that put Courtney aboard, but was caught stealing third. Courtney took second on the putout and then scored on a Burkhardt triple to the center field wall. A throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt brought Burkhardt home. Varsho sent a double into left field to bring in Rains, who had reached on the sacrifice.
Loyola threatened, but stranded two runners in the fifth. A single, a sacrifice and a ground out put a runner at third. A walk gave the Ramblers runners at the corners, but a ground out kept the scoreboard clean.
Andrew added a two-out single in the sixth and stole second, but the Boilermakers could not add to their run tally.
The Ramblers snapped the shutout with a run on five hits in the sixth. A pair of singles started the stanza, but the lead runner was gunned down trying to reach third on the second hit. With runners at first and third with two outs after another single, a single up the middle put Loyola on the board. The Ramblers added another single, but a base running miscue capped the inning.
Purdue added two insurance runs in the seventh with a two-out rally featuring two hits and two walks. Varsho got things started with an infield single and stole second, before being joined on base by junior Danielle Fletcher and senior Erika Petruzzi, who walked. Chiodo picked up two RBI with a double down the right field line, putting Purdue up 7-1.
Loyola made one more late push, plating three runs in the seventh on a Brie Pasquale home run. The two-out long ball followed two singles. A caught foul ball sealed the Boilermaker win.
Purdue (16-22) returns to action at 3 p.m. Wednesday when the team takes on Ball State in a doubleheader. It is service day at the Boilermaker Softball Complex, supporting the local police and fire departments.