GREENVILE, N.C. - The Boilermaker softball team split its opening day of the Pirate Clash, earning a 6-2 win over Saint Francis, before dropping a 1-0 decision to Wagner on Friday at the ECU Softball Stadium.
With the pair of games Purdue moves to 3-4 on the season.
Purdue 6, Saint Francis 2 | BOX SCORE (.PDF)
The Boilermakers began the day jumping out to an early 1-0 advantage over the Red Flash in the bottom of the second, which was jumpstarted by freshman Kasey Wilhoit's leadoff triple in the leftfield gap. Senior Lexi Huffman brought home the rookie with a sacrifice fly to left field.
In the bottom of the third, the Boilermakers loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch, a walk and a Wilhoit single, before Huffman belted a second RBI sacrifice fly to left field for a 2-0 Purdue lead.
Purdue cushioned its lead with four runs on three hits in the bottom of the fifth. Wilhoit and Huffman led off with a single and a double, respectively, while both reached home on a pair of SFU fielding errors.
The Boilermakers tacked on two more runs behind a single from freshman Kendall Chase and the quick feet of sophomore Rachel Krzysko on a RBI groundout.
Saint Francis closed within 6-2 on a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, but the Boilermakers shut out the Red Flash in the seventh to secure their third win of the season.
Senior Kaitlyn Moody (1-1) went all seven innings for the Boilermakers, allowing just two runs on three hits, while striking out one batter in her first complete game of the season.
The Boilermakers knocked 11 hits in the game, while Saint Francis totaled three hits and two errors. Wilhoit shined in the weekend opener, going 4-for-4 with two runs, while Chase added a 2-for-3 effort with an RBI and Huffman went 1-for-2 with a team-leading two RBI.
Wagner 1, Purdue 0 | BOX SCORE (.PDF)
It was a tightly contested faceoff between the Boilermakers and the Seahawks, with Wagner grabbing an early 1-0 lead with an RBI sacrifice fly from Kaila Smith in the opening frame.
The Boilermakers answered with four hits scattered across seven innings, but would not be able to get anything across as the Seahawks took the one-run win.
Sydney Bates (0-1) pitched her first complete game of the season, giving up a single unearned run, on three hits and a walk, while striking out eight in the outing. The sophomore last fanned eight batters in Purdue's 4-3 victory over Texas Tech in 2018. Her career high is 10 strike outs, which she registered against Virginia Tech (2/16/18) last season.
The Boilermakers totaled four hits in the contest, with Wilhoit going 2-for-3 and freshman Rachel Becker and Huffman each collecting a hit.
Purdue continues play at the Pirate Clash on Saturday with rematches against Wagner and Saint Francis at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., respectively.