AMES, Iowa – Fresh off a day's rest, the Purdue softball team rallied for back-to-back wins against Eastern Kentucky and South Dakota State before falling to Iowa State in the NISC Regional Championship.
Starting the day in the playback round of the regional, the Boilermakers defeated the Colonels, 3-1, and the Jack Rabbits, 4-1, advancing to the weekend's final game against Iowa State. In the Regional Championship, Purdue outhit Iowa State, 10-8, but ultimately ended their season with a 5-3 loss to the Cyclones.
With the trio of contests, Purdue concludes the year with a 34-29 record, marking the first 34-win season for the Boilermakers since 2008.
Game 1 | Purdue 3, Eastern Kentucky 1
Senior Mallory Baker set the tone early with a home run over the right field wall, giving Purdue a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
After two quiet innings for both teams, Eastern Kentucky found the equalizer with an RBI double to left center in the bottom of the fourth.
However, the knotted score was short lived as the Boilermakers battled back with two runs in the top of the fifth. Sophomore Rachel Krzysko and junior Halle Hixenbaugh set Purdue in scoring position with a walk and a single to center field, respectively. Freshman Rachel Becker followed with a single to center field to load the bases. With one out, Baker capitalized with a double to bring across Krzysko and Hixenbaugh.
With Purdue leading 3-1, the Boilermakers retired the Colonels in order through the last two innings to seal the victory.
Overall, Purdue outhit Eastern Kentucky, 5-4.
In the circle, seniors Maddie Damon and Kaitlynn Moody and redshirt sophomore Sydney Bates all combined for the winning effort.
Game 2 | Purdue 4, South Dakota State 1
Purdue continued its momentum with a 4-1 victory against South Dakota State, qualifying the Boilermakers for the Regional Championship.
Staying hot at the plate, senior Mallory Baker broke open the scoring with an RBI double in the third inning. Two batters later, senior Jenny Behan followed up Baker's effort with an RBI of her own, while freshman Becca Jones capitalized on a Jack Rabbit miscue to give the Boilermakers an early 3-0 lead.
Both teams went quiet through the next two innings, until freshman Rachel Becker delivered an RBI single up the middle in the sixth for a 4-0 Boilermaker advantage.
South Dakota would get one run back with an RBI single in the top of the seventh, but was ultimately stopped by a pair of strikeouts from senior Kaitlynn Moody.
Game 3 | Iowa State 5, Purdue 3
Fighting for the Regional Championship and a chance at the NISC title, Purdue and Iowa State delivered a competitive finale.
The Cyclones started the scoring in the first with an RBI double down the right field line, before a two-run long ball by senior Lexi Huffman put the Boilermakers up 2-1 in the top of the third. Wasting no time, Iowa State responded with a two-run jack of its own to regain a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the frame.
Iowa State cushioned its edge with a second RBI double from Talyn Lewis in the bottom of the fourth.
Pressed for time, the Boilermakers would make one last push with a solo home run from Becker in the seventh, but ultimately fell short.
Purdue closed its season outhitting the Cyclones, 10-8, while seniors Kaitynn Moody and Maddie Damon and redshirt sophomore Sydney Bates once again shared pitching duties for the Boilermakers. The trio combined for five strikeouts to Iowa State's six.