WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue came back from splitting day one, to sweep day two, defeating the Billikens 4-2 (8-12) and the Bradley Braves 11-1 (8-13).
Emma Bailey took over the end of game one against St. Louis, with a season best, only allowing two hits, with no earned runs. Bailey also struck out two batters, tying her career-best and setting a new season-high. The Boilermakers exploded in game two against Bradley, registering 11 runs on nine hits, four sacrifice bunts and only two strikeouts, a tie for their season-best.
BOILER BITS (vs. St. Louis)
Offensive Highlights:
Khloe Banks: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R
Alivia Meeks: 2-for-3, 2B, R
Moriah Polar: 2-for-4, 2 H, 1 SB
Kyndall Bailey: 2-for-3, RBI, BB, HBP
Pitching Breakdown:
Madi Elish: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K, 19 BF
Emma Bailey (W, 1-1): 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 11 BF
HOW IT HAPPENED
After back-to-back outs in the first inning, the Boilers put a hit on the board when Moriah Polar singled to left field. Saint Louis registered a hit of its own in the top of the second, but Purdue held the Billikens from scoring. Purdue took to the plate and Delaney Reefe, Jordyn Ramos and Kylie Franks went down in a row with ground balls to shortstop.
In the third inning, Purdue executed a perfect play on a Billiken bunt, tagging out the lead runner at second. The batter tried stealing another base, but the Boilermakers quickly reacted and tagged her out to earn back-to-back outs. Meeks started the bottom half of the third with a grounder up the middle, but she was left on base as the Boilers went down in order.
The game still sat with no runs on either side until the fifth inning when Saint Louis went on a hitting streak and registered a run. Emma Bailey came to the mound to relieve Elish, stopping the damage with a big strikeout. The Boilermakers had an explosive inning at the plate, scoring three runs on three hits. Alivia Meeks and Khloe Banks doubled, allowing Franks to put Purdue on the board. Polar then loaded the bases with a single to right. Kyndall Bailey's hit-by-pitch sent Meeks home. Julia Gossett then had a sac-fly to right field, driving Banks home for the third run.
It was a close call in the sixth inning with another Billiken run, but Purdue stopped the threat with two ground outs with bases loaded. Leading by one going into the bottom of the sixth, the Boilers committed to widening their lead, with Sage Scarmardo taking home on a stunning bunt by Banks, who safely made it to first base, then took second on a Billiken error. Pinch hitter Maura Condon had a line drive to left field as well, adding to the Boilermakers' three hits for the inning.
Purdue quickly ended the game in the seventh inning, keeping Saint Louis from scoring and defeating them 4-2.
BOILER BITS (vs. Bradley)
Offensive Highlights:
Moriah Polar: 3-for-3, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 SB
Kyndall Bailey: 2-for-3, R, 2 RBI, 1 SB
Maura Condon: 1-for-1, 2B, R, 2 RBI
Pitching Breakdown:
Kendall Klochack (W, 5-1): 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 K, 22 BF
HOW IT HAPPENED
After two errors in the field in the first inning, the Boilermakers bounced back to score two runs on two hits from Banks and Gossett when they took the plate. Purdue held Bradley to nothing in the second inning and had another big inning at the switch. Meeks led off with a hard hit up the middle but went out on third base on a grounder to shortstop by K. Bailey. Franks and Ashlynn Campbell scored when Polar tripled with a line drive up the middle.
The Braves knocked a ball out of the park in the third inning, but the Boilers didn't let that slow their momentum, running through the whole lineup and then some and scoring seven more runs on five hits. Ramos, Polar, K. Bailey and Reefe singled and Condon doubled out to right center. A series of walks helped to load up the bases at the beginning of the bottom half, and an impressive five RBIs helped Purdue's cause.
The fourth inning went quickly with no scores for either team, and the Braves went down in order at the top of the fifth, ending the game early with a score of 11-1.
UP NEXT
The Boilers take on #5 UCLA in Los Angeles, Calif. on Fri., March 14 at 9:00 p.m. ET for the opening of Big Ten play.
For updates on Purdue Softball, follow the Boilermakers on Twitter (@PurdueSoftball), Instagram (@purduesoftball), and Facebook (Purdue Softball).
Emma Bailey took over the end of game one against St. Louis, with a season best, only allowing two hits, with no earned runs. Bailey also struck out two batters, tying her career-best and setting a new season-high. The Boilermakers exploded in game two against Bradley, registering 11 runs on nine hits, four sacrifice bunts and only two strikeouts, a tie for their season-best.
BOILER BITS (vs. St. Louis)
Offensive Highlights:
Khloe Banks: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R
Alivia Meeks: 2-for-3, 2B, R
Moriah Polar: 2-for-4, 2 H, 1 SB
Kyndall Bailey: 2-for-3, RBI, BB, HBP
Pitching Breakdown:
Madi Elish: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K, 19 BF
Emma Bailey (W, 1-1): 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 11 BF
HOW IT HAPPENED
After back-to-back outs in the first inning, the Boilers put a hit on the board when Moriah Polar singled to left field. Saint Louis registered a hit of its own in the top of the second, but Purdue held the Billikens from scoring. Purdue took to the plate and Delaney Reefe, Jordyn Ramos and Kylie Franks went down in a row with ground balls to shortstop.
In the third inning, Purdue executed a perfect play on a Billiken bunt, tagging out the lead runner at second. The batter tried stealing another base, but the Boilermakers quickly reacted and tagged her out to earn back-to-back outs. Meeks started the bottom half of the third with a grounder up the middle, but she was left on base as the Boilers went down in order.
The game still sat with no runs on either side until the fifth inning when Saint Louis went on a hitting streak and registered a run. Emma Bailey came to the mound to relieve Elish, stopping the damage with a big strikeout. The Boilermakers had an explosive inning at the plate, scoring three runs on three hits. Alivia Meeks and Khloe Banks doubled, allowing Franks to put Purdue on the board. Polar then loaded the bases with a single to right. Kyndall Bailey's hit-by-pitch sent Meeks home. Julia Gossett then had a sac-fly to right field, driving Banks home for the third run.
It was a close call in the sixth inning with another Billiken run, but Purdue stopped the threat with two ground outs with bases loaded. Leading by one going into the bottom of the sixth, the Boilers committed to widening their lead, with Sage Scarmardo taking home on a stunning bunt by Banks, who safely made it to first base, then took second on a Billiken error. Pinch hitter Maura Condon had a line drive to left field as well, adding to the Boilermakers' three hits for the inning.
Purdue quickly ended the game in the seventh inning, keeping Saint Louis from scoring and defeating them 4-2.
BOILER BITS (vs. Bradley)
Offensive Highlights:
Moriah Polar: 3-for-3, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 SB
Kyndall Bailey: 2-for-3, R, 2 RBI, 1 SB
Maura Condon: 1-for-1, 2B, R, 2 RBI
Pitching Breakdown:
Kendall Klochack (W, 5-1): 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 K, 22 BF
HOW IT HAPPENED
After two errors in the field in the first inning, the Boilermakers bounced back to score two runs on two hits from Banks and Gossett when they took the plate. Purdue held Bradley to nothing in the second inning and had another big inning at the switch. Meeks led off with a hard hit up the middle but went out on third base on a grounder to shortstop by K. Bailey. Franks and Ashlynn Campbell scored when Polar tripled with a line drive up the middle.
The Braves knocked a ball out of the park in the third inning, but the Boilers didn't let that slow their momentum, running through the whole lineup and then some and scoring seven more runs on five hits. Ramos, Polar, K. Bailey and Reefe singled and Condon doubled out to right center. A series of walks helped to load up the bases at the beginning of the bottom half, and an impressive five RBIs helped Purdue's cause.
The fourth inning went quickly with no scores for either team, and the Braves went down in order at the top of the fifth, ending the game early with a score of 11-1.
UP NEXT
The Boilers take on #5 UCLA in Los Angeles, Calif. on Fri., March 14 at 9:00 p.m. ET for the opening of Big Ten play.
For updates on Purdue Softball, follow the Boilermakers on Twitter (@PurdueSoftball), Instagram (@purduesoftball), and Facebook (Purdue Softball).