May 2, 2000
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Stacy Orschell (Connersville, Ind., Connersville H.S.) and Andy Helmer (Fort Wayne, Ind., Bishop Dwenger H.S.) have been named Purdue's Athletes-of-the-Month for their outstanding performances throughout April. The award is sponsored by WLFI-TV and Twin City Dodge-Chrysler-Plymouth.
Orschell, a senior on the women's golf team, has had an outstanding campaign for the 21st-ranked Boilermakers. This past weekend in Madison, Wis., Orschell led the Old Gold & Black to its first Big Ten women's golf championship by 27 strokes over defending champion Ohio State. She was named the Big Ten Women's Golf Athlete of the Year for her season-long performance, culminating in her runner-up finish at the conference tournament, in which she set a round for low round (67) on her first loop. In 30 rounds of competition this year, Orschell has a 75.80 stroke average. This year, the three-time all-conference selection has seven top-10 finishes and claimed her first collegiate victory on Sept. 19, winning the Lady Northern by one stroke. The Boilermakers shot a 293 in the final round of Big Ten's, and their four-round total of 1,167 set a new Big Ten Tournament record. Indiana held the previous mark of 1,196, set at the 1998 tournament at Penn State. It was the first time four sub-300 rounds were recorded in the tournament's history. Purdue also set the low team 18-hole record (287), the low 36-hole mark (576), and the low 54-hole mark of 874. The Boileramkers' previous best finish at Big Ten's was third place in 1982 and '98.
Helmer, a senior on the baseball team, earned the honor of being named the conference's top pitcher following the week of April 16, in which he notched three saves and a win. His first test came against the No. 24 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Boilers were clinging onto a 7-5 lead when the right-hander entered the game and got all three outs in the ninth inning. His final line in the Notre Dame game was 1.0 innings, giving up zero runs and zero hits. Helmer followed the performance by coming into the Boilermakers' extra-inning affair with the Valparaiso Crusaders. With the Boilers in trouble in the 10th, Helmer came on in relief to get the final out of the game and pick up his Big Ten-leading 11th save. The Fort Wayne native was not done yet, as a crucial series with Indiana proved to be the next test for the senior. In Game 1 of the conference series with the Hoosiers, Helmer came in to pitch the ninth inning of a 6-5 ball game. He set down the Hoosiers in order in the ninth, picking up one strikeout and his Big Ten-leading fifth conference save. Before the important conference series was over, Helmer would face a final test. With the Boilermakers down 6-4 in the eighth inning, Helmer held the Hoosiers in check while the Old Gold and Black's offense surged to win the game in the ninth inning. Helmer picked up his second win of the season to move to a perfect 2-0 on the year.
Helmer's current season stats include a 2.45 overall ERA and a 0.00 conference ERA. He leads both Purdue and the Big Ten Conference in overall saves (13) and conference saves (5). Helmer picked up a total of two saves in the 1999 season, ending the year with an 8.84 ERA.