TAMPA, Fla. - A hard-fought battle for Purdue softball (17-15) ended with a 1-3 loss to No. 22 South Florida to close the USF Invite.
Emilee Cox scored a home run in the second inning for the Purdue lead, before USF evened the game up in the fourth. Not only was it Cox's first career homer, it came straight on the heels of the junior's game-winning RBI triple vs. St. Thomas (Mn.) the previous night.
Purdue's best scoring opportunity came in the fifth inning, when the bases were loaded with one out on the board. Strict pitching by the nation's best led to two strikeouts to bring the opportunity to a close.
USF's game-winner came in the bottom of the sixth, when two runs were notched.
With the result, relief pitcher Alexa Pinarski moves to 4-7 on the season after entering the game for the final 2.1 innings. Brenna Smith started, tossing two key back-to-back strikeouts with a runner in scoring position and finished the day with 3.2 innings pitched.
The Boilermakers were out-hit 7-3 and were even with the Bulls, 1-1, in errors.
The result wraps up the 32-game non-conference season. Purdue will open the Big Ten series at home for a three-game series vs. Illinois Friday, March 25-17 in the friendly confines of Bittinger Stadium and a new state-of-the-art video board.
Emilee Cox scored a home run in the second inning for the Purdue lead, before USF evened the game up in the fourth. Not only was it Cox's first career homer, it came straight on the heels of the junior's game-winning RBI triple vs. St. Thomas (Mn.) the previous night.
Purdue's best scoring opportunity came in the fifth inning, when the bases were loaded with one out on the board. Strict pitching by the nation's best led to two strikeouts to bring the opportunity to a close.
USF's game-winner came in the bottom of the sixth, when two runs were notched.
With the result, relief pitcher Alexa Pinarski moves to 4-7 on the season after entering the game for the final 2.1 innings. Brenna Smith started, tossing two key back-to-back strikeouts with a runner in scoring position and finished the day with 3.2 innings pitched.
The Boilermakers were out-hit 7-3 and were even with the Bulls, 1-1, in errors.
The result wraps up the 32-game non-conference season. Purdue will open the Big Ten series at home for a three-game series vs. Illinois Friday, March 25-17 in the friendly confines of Bittinger Stadium and a new state-of-the-art video board.