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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -
The Slate
FIU Invitational
Felsberg Field at FIU Softball Stadium ~ Miami, Fla.
Friday, Feb. 13
2 p.m. vs. Long Island
7 p.m. at Florida International
Saturday, Feb. 14
11 a.m. vs. Memphis
1:30 p.m. vs. Long Island
Sunday, Feb. 15
10 a.m. at FIU
Live Stats: purduesports.com
Tournament Central: http://bit.ly/1ILTK7Y
Watch (FIU): http://www.fiusports.com/watch/
The Book on the Boilermakers
At First Glance: Purdue (1-4) heads to Miami for week two of a six-week travel slate to start the 2015 season. The Boilermakers finished the 2014 season with a 27-28-1 overall record, falling in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament. Purdue returns 11 letterwinners, including three position starters and three pitchers from that team, which earned the No. 6 seed in the tournament after posting a 13-10 record in league play and winning five of its eight conference series. Head coach Kim Schuette is in her second season with the Boilermakers.
Last Time Out: The Boilermakers went 1-4 at the So Cal Collegiate Challenge in Fullerton and Los Angeles, Calif., last weekend. The team fell in four close games - vs. San Diego State (2-0, 2-1) and at Cal State Fullerton (5-3) and No. 7 UCLA (9-3) - but ended the weekend with a 1-0 victory over No. 24 Texas A&M.
Statistically Speaking: First baseman Ashley Burkhardt and catcher Kaylah Hampton lead the team at the plate after opening weekend with identical .333 averages. Hampton has three RBI, a double and a home run to her credit, while Burkhardt has driven in a team-best four RBI and launched a home run. Outfielder Kristen Hoppman batter .286 with four hits, including two doubles. Third baseman CJ Parsons posted a .333 average with three hits and a double in nine at-bats. Designated player Katie Harrison posted two hits, including a double, in six at-bats. As a team, Purdue batted .219 with two home runs and four stolen bases.
`In the circle, the Boilermaker pitchers held foes to a .193 average. Junior Lilly Fecho (1-2) posted a 1.35 ERA with 19 strikeouts and a shutout in 20.2 innings of work. Seniors Lexy Moore (0-1) and Alex Whittemore (0-1) combined for four strikeouts in 10 innings. Freshman Gina Snyder also threw an inning and two thirds.
Burkhardt is the team's top returning hitter after batting .346 with a team-best 43 RBI, 33 runs, 13 doubles and 10 home runs in 2014. The team must replace six players that hit .244 or better last season. Outfielder Lexi Valone (.267), infielder Mary Gooding (.217), Hoppman (.206), Parsons (.200) and infielder Paris Andrew (.190) are all primed to step into key positions. Andrew registered six doubles and 12 runs while starting 47 games, while Hoppman started chipped in four-extra base hits and 10 RBI in 40 starts. The team also will have help from five new members, including junior college All-American Katie Harrison, who batted .440 with 86 RBI and 24 home runs at Chipola College last season. Purdue batted .297 with 41 home runs and 63 stolen bases in 2014.
In the circle, the Purdue staff combined for 281 strikeouts in 361 innings. Lilly Fecho (21-16) did the bulk of the pitching, striking out 196 batters in 223 innings, including 28 complete games. Lexy Moore (4-9) added 53 Ks in 76 innings, while Alex Whittemore (2-2) issued 21 Ks in 45 innings, including a complete-game no-hitter. The lone departure is senior Lauren Grant, who struck out 11 batters in 16 innings. The staff adds rookie Gina Snyder, a four-time All-Southern Arizona and All-D1 selection from Tucson's Sahuaro High School.
What a Difference a Win Makes ...
If the Boilermakers top Long Island on Friday ...
- They will move to 4-0 all-time against the Blackbirds, dating to 2004.
- They will move to 127-109-1 all-time in the month of February, including 5-7 on Feb. 13.
- It would move the team's record to 260-190-1 all-time in neutral site non-conference games.
Series Information
Long Island (Purdue leads the series 3-0): The Boilermakers have won all three previous meetings with the Blackbirds in the series which began on March 4, 2004, at the Speedline Invitational in Clearwater, Fla. The teams also met in Clearwater on March 9, 2008, and March 16, 2014.
Florida International (FIU leads the series 1-0): FIU won the lone previous meeting in the series, taking a 9-5 win on Feb. 23, 2007, at the Golden Panther Invitational in Miami.
Memphis: This is the first meeting between the Boilermakers and the Tigers.
Learning About Long Island
At First Glance: The Long Island Blackbirds will play in Florida for the second straight weekend, competing at the FIU Invitational in Miami after playing in the FAU Kickoff Classic in Boca Raton last weekend. LIU returns 13 letterwinners, including six starters and two pitchers, from the 2014 team, which posted a 22-34 record, and advanced to the Northeast Conference Tournament finals. The Blackbirds are coached by Ray Kortmann, who is in his 21st season with the team.
Last Time Out: Long Island posted a 1-4 record at the FAU Kickoff Classic in Boca Raton, Fla., last weekend, falling to Kansas (0-8), Arkansas (0-8), Penn State (1-9) and FAU (0-7), but topping Georgia Tech (4-3).
Statistically Speaking: Outfielders Whitney West (.308) and Nicole Archer (.273) led the LIU bats on opening weekend. West had four hits, an RBI and two steals, while Archer posted three hits, including a double and two runs. Shortstop Lauren Morizi (.154) and outfielder Ariana Lopez (.143) tallied the Blackbirds only other extra base hits, each with a double. As a team, LIU batted .158 with three doubles and two stolen bases.
In the circle, sophomore Shelley Procter (0-3) issued seven strikeouts in 15 innings. Archer (1-1) added six Ks in nine innings of work and Alyssa Lanktree-Dotson struck out one batter in two and two thirds innings. The staff allowed foes a .339 average and 15 extra-base hits.
In 2014, Morizi led the Blackbirds with a team-best .335 average, 29 runs and 18 doubles, while West was second on the team with a .317 average, 29 runs, four triples and 17 stolen bases. Procter (13-17) registered 112 strikeouts, three shutouts and a save, while Lanktree-Dotson (1-1) issued 33 Ks in 32 innings.
Facts About FIU
At First Glance: The Florida International Panthers (4-2) open their 2015 home season by hosting the FIU Invitational this weekend. FIU returns 11 letterwinners, including six starters, from the 2014 team which went 33-20 and finished third in Conference USA play. The Panthers are coached by Gator Rebhan, who is in his first year with the team.
Last Time Out: The Panthers went 4-2 at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala. FIU topped Houston (8-1), Lamar (4-3), Eastern Kentucky (4-1) and Houston Baptist (7-0), but fell to McNeese State (3-2) and No. 3 Alabama (11-2).
Statistically Speaking: First baseman Stephanie Texeira and second baseman Ashley Leon led the FIU bats on opening weekend, batting .600 and .556 respectively. Texeira posted nine hits, including two doubles, a triple and two home runs, while driving in 12 RBI. Leon managed 10 hits, scored seven runs and swiped four bases. Outfielder Gabby Spallone (.316) added two doubles, while infielder Krystal Garcia (.235) accounted for a double, triple and home run to go with four runs and three RBI. As a team, FIU batted .294 with three home runs and seven steals.
In the circle, junior Corinne Jenkins (4-0) led the way with 21 Ks in 24 innings, while posting a 1.15 ERA and holding foes to a .232 average. Senior Shelby Graves (0-2) struck out six batters in 11 innings. Sophomore Brianna Bartuccio (0-0) and freshman Rachel Dwyer (0-0) saw limited action as the staff allowed opponents just a .263 average.
In 2014, Texeira batted .408 with a team-leading 43 runs, 41 RBI, 12 doubles and 11 home runs. Garcia batted .322 with 34 RBI, 32 runs, seven home runs and seven steals, while Spallone hit a .319 clip with 33 RBI, 32 runs, 12 doubles and seven homers. In the circle, Jenkins posted a 17-10 record with 105 strikeouts, four shutouts and four saves in 171 innings. Graves went 15-7 with 100 Ks, four saves and a shutout in 135 innings.
Meet Memphis
At First Glance: The Memphis Tigers (1-3) look to snap a two-game losing streak on Friday when they take on Long Island and FIU to open the FIU Invitational. Memphis returns 12 letterwinners, including six starters and two pitchers, from the 2014 team, which posted a 23-33 record and finished seventh in the American Athletic Conference. The Tigers are coached by Natalie Poole, who is in her fourth year with the team.
Last Time Out: The Tigers went 1-3 at the LSU Tiger Classic in Baton Rouge, La., last weekend, splitting games with Tennessee State (W 5-1, L 4-1) and falling to No. 19 LSU (7-2) and N.C. State (9-3).
Statistically Speaking: Third baseman Cierra Magnum paced the Memphis bats with a .571 average, posting eight hits, including two doubles and three runs. Shortstop Sami Jo Schulz (.286), pitcher/first baseman Calli Irvin (.286) and outfielder Hannah Harrell (.222) followed. Irvin was one of two players with home runs on the weekend, and led the Tigers with three RBI. Harrell scored two runs and stole two bases. As a team, Memphis batted .229 with two home runs and four stolen bases.
Four pitchers saw time in the circle for the Tigers. Senior Jordan Richwood (0-2) struck out eight batters in 10 innings, while freshman Katie Brignac (1-0) struck out five in nine innings, including a complete game effort. Freshman Molly Smith (0-0) issued five Ks in four innings, while limiting foes to a .077 average. Irvin (0-1) struck out four in three innings. The staff allowed opponents to hit at a .321 clip with 10 extra-base hits.
In 2014, outfielder Lindsay Crowdus led the team with a .349 average, 28 runs, seven triples and nine steals. Infielder Brittany Vaugn (.289), catcher Georganna Goodwin (.274) and outfielder Wheeler Hill (.256) also batted above .250. Vaughn posted 33 RBI, 28 runs and 11 doubles. Goodwin manayed four home runs and 21 RBI, while Hill scored 25 runs and had six steals. In the circle, Christian Novak (9-10) struck out 81 batters in 107 innings, while Jordan Richwood (1-2) issued 32 Ks in 41 innings including a save. Irvin (1-1) struck out six batters in 10 innings.
A Tough Slate
The Boilermakers will face tough foes in 2014, including nine teams ranked or receiving votes in the preseason Top 25. Purdue will play 10 games against the Top 25: No. 15 Minnesota and No. 18 Nebraska three times each, No. 6 Kentucky, No. 7 UCLA, No. 13 Tennessee and No. 24 Texas A&M. The team also will take on vote-getters in Cal State Fullerton, Northwestern (three times) and Wisconsin (three times) boosting the tally to 17 games against ranked foes or those receiving votes.
The Boilermakers will play against 12 teams that participated in last year's NCAA Regionals and six teams that ended the year in the NFCA Top 25. Four of Purdue's foes went on to the Super Regionals, while No. 6 Kentucky competed in the Women's College World Series.
The Boilermakers will face three opponents for the first time in program history, taking on Memphis at the FIU Invitational, Stony Brook at the FGCU/Four Points by Sherton Invitational and Saint Joseph's at the Michelle Smith Spring Break Tournament.
One-Hit Wonder
Junior pitcher Lilly Fecho allowed just one hit - a two-out single in the fifth - and struck out seven batters in Purdue's 1-0 win over No. 24 Texas A&M on Feb. 8. The one hitter was the 34th in program history and first since 2010.
Perfect at the Plate
Senior first baseman Ashley Burkhardt went 4-for-4 at the plate with a home run against No. 7 UCLA on Feb. 7. The perfect effort was the 23rd 4-for-4 or better performance in program history (21 4-for-4 and two 5-for-5). Burkhardt tallied singles in the first, fifth and seventh and a homer in the third.