MADISON, Wis. – With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, pitcher Alex Echazarreta struck out the final batter to secure Purdue's series win (3-1) with a score of 7-6 to cap off the end of the regular season.
The winning run was recorded in the sixth inning by Kiara Dillon, who found home after an error by the first baseman.
Starting senior pitcher Sydney Bates produced four RBI to lead the team to victory in her final game in uniform. A total of five Boilermakers scored runs, with a pair by Rachel Becker and Becca Jones.
Bates commanded the field, both offensively and defensively, pitching four strikeouts and her third career triple to score Rachel Becker and Kaitlyn Brannstrom for the 2-1 lead. Then in the fifth, Becker scored on a single from Becca Jones, before Jones added the fourth run on a passed ball.
The Badgers tied the game, 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the Boilermakers added three runs in the top of the sixth to put away the game, thanks to a sac fly by Becker to score Kiley Goff, and a pair of runs by Jones and Dillon came in the same play on a first base error and a throw to second.
After Purdue left two runners stranded in the top of the seventh, Wisconsin singled, allowing two runners to score and put the game within reach. Then, Echazarreta entered the circle for Ashley Peters with no outs on the board, and then with the bases loaded, struck out swinging the final batter.
Peters is credited with the win to finish the year with a 7-7 record, while Echazarreta earned the save.
The winning run was recorded in the sixth inning by Kiara Dillon, who found home after an error by the first baseman.
Starting senior pitcher Sydney Bates produced four RBI to lead the team to victory in her final game in uniform. A total of five Boilermakers scored runs, with a pair by Rachel Becker and Becca Jones.
Bates commanded the field, both offensively and defensively, pitching four strikeouts and her third career triple to score Rachel Becker and Kaitlyn Brannstrom for the 2-1 lead. Then in the fifth, Becker scored on a single from Becca Jones, before Jones added the fourth run on a passed ball.
The Badgers tied the game, 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the Boilermakers added three runs in the top of the sixth to put away the game, thanks to a sac fly by Becker to score Kiley Goff, and a pair of runs by Jones and Dillon came in the same play on a first base error and a throw to second.
After Purdue left two runners stranded in the top of the seventh, Wisconsin singled, allowing two runners to score and put the game within reach. Then, Echazarreta entered the circle for Ashley Peters with no outs on the board, and then with the bases loaded, struck out swinging the final batter.
Peters is credited with the win to finish the year with a 7-7 record, while Echazarreta earned the save.