April 4, 1999
Gm. 1 Box Score | Gm. 2 Box Score
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - With clouds looming overhead and rain threatening, the Purdue (20-13) softball team split a twin bill with Minnesota (25-10) today to open the Big Ten season. The Gophers came to West Lafayette with a national rank of 23 and took the first game 4-1, but Purdue rallied behind a strong offensive performance and solid pitching to pick up game two 6-3.
Game one opened with a scoreless first, but closed with a score-filled seventh. One Gopher crossed the plate in both the second and third innings and Purdue rallied in the bottom half of the fifth to cut the lead in half. Minnesota, led by a strong performance on the mound by senior Steph Klaviter, closed the seventh inning with two more runs to put the game out of reach for Purdue. Klaviter picked up a complete-game victory with her eighth win of the year.
The Boilers were hindered by a lack of offense in game one. Klaviter allowed only four hits, while her teammates recorded seven. The Gophers were led by a 2-for-4 day at the plate by senior Shannon Beeler and three RBI, while Pudue's designated player Denise Szany was perfect. She tallied two hits in her two at-bats and had one walk.
After a short break to groom the field, the Boilers came out in the second game ready for action. Purdue jumped ahead early taking the lead in the first inning on an RBI-single by Szany. The shot to right field scored junior Skeeter Nixon who had earlier reached on a walk. The Gophers bounced back and matched the Purdue lead with one run in the bottom half of the first. After two innings of scoreless action, the Boilers batted through the line-up and rallied with five hits and as many runs.
The Gophers scored twice in the bottom of the fifth and tried to muster a rally in the seventh, but Purdue's pitcher Nicole Crouse sent one Gopher batter down on strikes and did not allow a hit in the last inning to take home the win. Crouse is now 9-6 on the year.
The Boilers will take the field at 1 p.m. tomorrow to close out the three game series against Minnesota.
R H EMinnesota 4 7 1PURDUE 1 4 4
PURDUE 6 8 3Minnesota 3 5 4