April 4, 1999
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A classic confrontation took place on Sunday afternoon, as Purdue (20-14, 1-2 Big Ten) and No. 23 Minnesota (26-10, 2-1) played the rubber-game of a three-game series on the opening weekend of the Big Ten softball season. The outcome was an entertaining, nine-inning battle that went to the Golden Gophers 2-1. The two teams split a doubleheader on Saturday.
With two outs and runners on first and second in the ninth, Minnesota's Jordanne Nygren hit a hard ground ball down the third base line that scooted under third baseman Katie Crabtree's glove to bring home the go-ahead run. The error was an unlucky end to a tightly-played ball game that featured remarkable pitching and defense by both teams.
Freshman Heather Brown (7-0) earned the victory, striking out five in two scoreless innings of relief. Brown pitched five shutout innings over the weekend with nine strikeouts. Purdue freshmen Nicole Crouse and Meagan Dooley (11-7) combined to allow one earned run in nine innings on Sunday. Crouse pitched five scoreless innings to start the game before giving way to Dooley in the sixth. The Phoenix, Ariz., native inherited runners on first and second with no outs and retired three of the next four batters to keep the game scoreless.
Purdue drew first blood in the sixth, when Crabtree singled down the third base line to score Sam Mercier for a 1-0 lead. With runners on first and second, the next two Boiler hitters grounded out to the pitcher to end the threat.
In the top of the seventh, Minnesota's Tammi Hays reached on an infield single with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch. A single to left by Shannon Beeler brought Hays home to tie the score 1-1. A subsequent double-play by the Boiler infield ended the inning and kept the score tied.
Purdue will now host No. 7 Michigan for a doubleheader on April 7 at 2 p.m.
R H EMinnesota 2 10 1PURDUE 1 4 2