WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue (24-17, 7-8 Big Ten) took both games in the doubleheader against Illinois (18-22, 4-10 Big Ten) on Friday, 6-2 in game one and 1-0 in a 12-inning game two.
Julia Gossett led the Boilermakers in game one, pitching eleven strikeouts and going four-for-four at the plate. Purdue registered six runs on seven hits.
Kendall Klochack pitched 7.2 innings in the circle in game two, before Madi Elish took over to finish. Ashlynn Campbell had a career-high eight assists in the field while Khloe Banks' hit in the twelfth inning walked it off for Purdue.
BOILER BITS (vs Illinois Game 1)
Offensive Highlights:
Alivia Meeks: 3-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 R, 2 H, 1 HBP
Ashlynn Campbell: 2-for-3, 1 R, 2 H
Julia Gossett: 4-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, 1 SB
Pitching Breakdown:
Julia Gossett (W, 7-7): 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 11 K, 30 BF
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Fighting Illini made some noise in the top of the first, but Gossett stranded two runners with a huge strikeout to end the inning and the threat. The Boilers went down in order at the bottom of the first.
To start the second, Illinois put back-to-back runners aboard with hit by pitches and moved them over on a sacrifice bunt for just the first out of the inning. The Illini plated the first two runs of the game with a double to left center to go out ahead in the top of the inning. To lead off the bottom of the second, Gossett put herself on first after an error from the Illini shortstop. Gossett would then come around to score the first run for the Boilers after an RBI single from Meeks.
In the bottom of the third, the Boilers tied up the game after a single from Campbell, who scored on a triple from Moriah Polar, her fourth of the year. The fourth inning saw no hits from either side, keeping the score even.
Gossett struck out three batters to send Purdue back to the plate in the fifth frame. Bases were loaded after three walks, and Maura Condon went in with a bloop single over shortstop, sending Polar to score and put the Boilermakers ahead. Delaney Reefe and Gossett scored afterward, capitalizing on an Illini error and a wild pitch to put Purdue ahead by three runs.
Illinois got two runners on base at the top of the sixth, but were stopped in their tracks with a Boilermaker double play and a strikeout by Gossett to hold the score. The lead strengthened at the bottom of the inning with one more run on two hits. In the seventh, three pop flies were caught by the Boilers, giving them the win 6-2 in game 1.
BOILER BITS (vs. Illinois Game 2)
Offensive Highlights:
Alivia Meeks: 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 H, 1 HBP
Jordyn Ramos: 2-for-5, 1 2B, 2 H
Khloe Banks: 2-for-6, 1 RBI, 2 H
Ashlynn Campbell: 2-for-5, 2 H
Pitching Breakdown:
Kendall Klochack: 7.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 29 BF
Madi Elish (W, 9-5): 4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 18 BF
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Illinois started game two with a double to right centerfield, but Purdue came back with three outs to leave the batter on base. The Boilers went down in order at the bottom of the first. The Boilers were ready to play in the field, taking down the next three Illini batters quickly. A double down the third base line by Sage Scarmardo put Purdue's first hit of the game on the scoreboard, but she was left on base.
The Boilers slipped in the third inning with two errors helping put two runners on base, but the damage was stopped with outs to end the inning. Ashlynn Campbell had a single up the middle, but wasn't able to score in the frame. The fourth and fifth innings brought sets of three-up, three-down outs.
The sixth inning put down Illinois with three quick outs. Purdue took the plate and immediately had bases loaded with three hits from Campbell, Banks, and Polar, but they were unable to get a run on the board. The game stayed scoreless through the seventh inning, with only one hit from each side.
The eighth inning left three Illini runners on base, the game still tied up. The Boilermakers went down in order in the bottom of the frame. In the ninth inning, Campbell had a game-changing play at shortstop, picking up the ball and throwing home to tag out a potential Illini run. The game went back and forth with no scores until the twelfth inning. Meeks singled out to centerfield, and Ramos pushed her to third with a double down the third base line. A clutch hit up the middle by Khloe Banks sent Meeks to score, giving Purdue the walk-off win, 1-0.
UP NEXT:
Purdue will play Illinois for the final game of the series tomorrow, Saturday, April 19, at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be live on B1G+.
For updates on Purdue Softball, follow the Boilermakers on Twitter (@PurdueSoftball), Instagram (@purduesoftball), and Facebook (Purdue Softball).
Julia Gossett led the Boilermakers in game one, pitching eleven strikeouts and going four-for-four at the plate. Purdue registered six runs on seven hits.
Kendall Klochack pitched 7.2 innings in the circle in game two, before Madi Elish took over to finish. Ashlynn Campbell had a career-high eight assists in the field while Khloe Banks' hit in the twelfth inning walked it off for Purdue.
BOILER BITS (vs Illinois Game 1)
Offensive Highlights:
Alivia Meeks: 3-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 R, 2 H, 1 HBP
Ashlynn Campbell: 2-for-3, 1 R, 2 H
Julia Gossett: 4-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, 1 SB
Pitching Breakdown:
Julia Gossett (W, 7-7): 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 11 K, 30 BF
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Fighting Illini made some noise in the top of the first, but Gossett stranded two runners with a huge strikeout to end the inning and the threat. The Boilers went down in order at the bottom of the first.
To start the second, Illinois put back-to-back runners aboard with hit by pitches and moved them over on a sacrifice bunt for just the first out of the inning. The Illini plated the first two runs of the game with a double to left center to go out ahead in the top of the inning. To lead off the bottom of the second, Gossett put herself on first after an error from the Illini shortstop. Gossett would then come around to score the first run for the Boilers after an RBI single from Meeks.
In the bottom of the third, the Boilers tied up the game after a single from Campbell, who scored on a triple from Moriah Polar, her fourth of the year. The fourth inning saw no hits from either side, keeping the score even.
Gossett struck out three batters to send Purdue back to the plate in the fifth frame. Bases were loaded after three walks, and Maura Condon went in with a bloop single over shortstop, sending Polar to score and put the Boilermakers ahead. Delaney Reefe and Gossett scored afterward, capitalizing on an Illini error and a wild pitch to put Purdue ahead by three runs.
Illinois got two runners on base at the top of the sixth, but were stopped in their tracks with a Boilermaker double play and a strikeout by Gossett to hold the score. The lead strengthened at the bottom of the inning with one more run on two hits. In the seventh, three pop flies were caught by the Boilers, giving them the win 6-2 in game 1.
BOILER BITS (vs. Illinois Game 2)
Offensive Highlights:
Alivia Meeks: 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 H, 1 HBP
Jordyn Ramos: 2-for-5, 1 2B, 2 H
Khloe Banks: 2-for-6, 1 RBI, 2 H
Ashlynn Campbell: 2-for-5, 2 H
Pitching Breakdown:
Kendall Klochack: 7.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 29 BF
Madi Elish (W, 9-5): 4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 18 BF
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Illinois started game two with a double to right centerfield, but Purdue came back with three outs to leave the batter on base. The Boilers went down in order at the bottom of the first. The Boilers were ready to play in the field, taking down the next three Illini batters quickly. A double down the third base line by Sage Scarmardo put Purdue's first hit of the game on the scoreboard, but she was left on base.
The Boilers slipped in the third inning with two errors helping put two runners on base, but the damage was stopped with outs to end the inning. Ashlynn Campbell had a single up the middle, but wasn't able to score in the frame. The fourth and fifth innings brought sets of three-up, three-down outs.
The sixth inning put down Illinois with three quick outs. Purdue took the plate and immediately had bases loaded with three hits from Campbell, Banks, and Polar, but they were unable to get a run on the board. The game stayed scoreless through the seventh inning, with only one hit from each side.
The eighth inning left three Illini runners on base, the game still tied up. The Boilermakers went down in order in the bottom of the frame. In the ninth inning, Campbell had a game-changing play at shortstop, picking up the ball and throwing home to tag out a potential Illini run. The game went back and forth with no scores until the twelfth inning. Meeks singled out to centerfield, and Ramos pushed her to third with a double down the third base line. A clutch hit up the middle by Khloe Banks sent Meeks to score, giving Purdue the walk-off win, 1-0.
UP NEXT:
Purdue will play Illinois for the final game of the series tomorrow, Saturday, April 19, at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be live on B1G+.
For updates on Purdue Softball, follow the Boilermakers on Twitter (@PurdueSoftball), Instagram (@purduesoftball), and Facebook (Purdue Softball).