BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Purdue and Indiana softball teams did not disappoint the in-state rivalry as they split a competitive doubleheader Wednesday night in Bloomington.
The hosting Hoosiers claimed the first game 2-1, before the visiting Boilermakers rallied from a 4-0 deficit to a 5-4 nine-inning win in the second game.
Purdue's twin bill efforts were guided by senior Jenny Behan, who went 3-for-6 at the plate with a trio of runs and two RBI. Her day was highlighted by a pair of home runs. The third baseman now leads the Boilermakers with 11 long balls on the year.
Game 1 | Indiana 2, Purdue 1
The Boilermakers managed just one run in the opening game against the Hoosiers, but delivered four hits while leaving five runners on in the contest.
Senior Kaitlynn Moody (9-6) struck out five and gave up just two hits, while surrendering two runs in the loss. Indiana senior Tara Trainer (20-6) struck out nine Boilermakers in the win.
Indiana jumped out to a 2-0 edge in the bottom of the first with an RBI double to left center.
The Hoosiers maintained their two-point advantage through four innings, until Behan delivered her tenth home run of the season in the top of the sixth.
Neither team would manage a run for the remainder of the contest, giving the win to IU 2-1.
GAME 2 | Purdue 5, Indiana 4 (9)
The rivals kept it close heading into the second game as neither team recorded a hit through the first three innings.
Freshman Kasey Wilhoit and junior Madison Douglass broke the silence with a pair of singles in the top of the fourth. However, Indiana would be the first team to put runs on the board as the Hoosiers ignited for a four-run fifth inning.
Trailing 4-0, the Boilermakers put runners on with a Behan walk and a single to center field by senior Lexi Huffman, before Wilhoit capitalized with an RBI single in the top of the sixth. Purdue continued its moment as Douglass followed with a walk to load the bases, before the Boilermakers pushed one more across on a Hoosier fielding error. With only one out, Moody delivered an RBI check swing to bring home Wilhoit and cut Indiana's lead to one at 4-3.
Keeping Indiana's offense off the board in the bottom of the sixth, Purdue found the equalizer off the bat of Behan in the top of the seventh. With two outs, the veteran delivered her second home run of the day, a hit over the center field fence.
Indiana threatened with runners on third and second in the bottom of the frame, but a solid Boilermaker defense ended the threat with a strikeout from pitcher Sydney Bates.
Tied 4-4, the teams took the series finale into extra innings for the fourth time in program history. The Boilermakers and the Hoosiers' last extra-inning match up came in 2009, when Purdue prevailed for an 8-7 win in nine innings in Bloomington.
After a scoreless eighth frame, Purdue claimed the winning run on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Huffman in the top of the ninth.
Bates solidified the victory with her seventh strikeout in the bottom of the frame.
Overall, Purdue outhit the Hoosiers 8-4 in the final game as Behan paced the effort with a 2-3 performance at the plate, two runs and an RBI.
In the circle, Bates (11-6) pitched a complete game to earn the win, while Indiana saw action from three different pitchers. In the nine-inning contest, Bates allowed four runs on four hits, while striking out a game-high seven batters.
The Boilermakers return to the field with a three-game series against Nebraska. Friday's opening series contest is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET at Bittinger Stadium.
The hosting Hoosiers claimed the first game 2-1, before the visiting Boilermakers rallied from a 4-0 deficit to a 5-4 nine-inning win in the second game.
Purdue's twin bill efforts were guided by senior Jenny Behan, who went 3-for-6 at the plate with a trio of runs and two RBI. Her day was highlighted by a pair of home runs. The third baseman now leads the Boilermakers with 11 long balls on the year.
Game 1 | Indiana 2, Purdue 1
The Boilermakers managed just one run in the opening game against the Hoosiers, but delivered four hits while leaving five runners on in the contest.
Senior Kaitlynn Moody (9-6) struck out five and gave up just two hits, while surrendering two runs in the loss. Indiana senior Tara Trainer (20-6) struck out nine Boilermakers in the win.
Indiana jumped out to a 2-0 edge in the bottom of the first with an RBI double to left center.
The Hoosiers maintained their two-point advantage through four innings, until Behan delivered her tenth home run of the season in the top of the sixth.
Neither team would manage a run for the remainder of the contest, giving the win to IU 2-1.
GAME 2 | Purdue 5, Indiana 4 (9)
The rivals kept it close heading into the second game as neither team recorded a hit through the first three innings.
Freshman Kasey Wilhoit and junior Madison Douglass broke the silence with a pair of singles in the top of the fourth. However, Indiana would be the first team to put runs on the board as the Hoosiers ignited for a four-run fifth inning.
Trailing 4-0, the Boilermakers put runners on with a Behan walk and a single to center field by senior Lexi Huffman, before Wilhoit capitalized with an RBI single in the top of the sixth. Purdue continued its moment as Douglass followed with a walk to load the bases, before the Boilermakers pushed one more across on a Hoosier fielding error. With only one out, Moody delivered an RBI check swing to bring home Wilhoit and cut Indiana's lead to one at 4-3.
Keeping Indiana's offense off the board in the bottom of the sixth, Purdue found the equalizer off the bat of Behan in the top of the seventh. With two outs, the veteran delivered her second home run of the day, a hit over the center field fence.
Indiana threatened with runners on third and second in the bottom of the frame, but a solid Boilermaker defense ended the threat with a strikeout from pitcher Sydney Bates.
Tied 4-4, the teams took the series finale into extra innings for the fourth time in program history. The Boilermakers and the Hoosiers' last extra-inning match up came in 2009, when Purdue prevailed for an 8-7 win in nine innings in Bloomington.
After a scoreless eighth frame, Purdue claimed the winning run on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Huffman in the top of the ninth.
Bates solidified the victory with her seventh strikeout in the bottom of the frame.
Overall, Purdue outhit the Hoosiers 8-4 in the final game as Behan paced the effort with a 2-3 performance at the plate, two runs and an RBI.
In the circle, Bates (11-6) pitched a complete game to earn the win, while Indiana saw action from three different pitchers. In the nine-inning contest, Bates allowed four runs on four hits, while striking out a game-high seven batters.
The Boilermakers return to the field with a three-game series against Nebraska. Friday's opening series contest is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET at Bittinger Stadium.