April 7, 1999
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - No team will come closer to breaking No. 6 Michigan's 28-game unbeaten streak without breaking it than the Purdue softball team. The Boilermakers (20-16, 1-4 Big Ten) were tied with the Wolverines (32-5-1, 5-0) in the seventh inning of both games of a doubleheader Wednesday, before falling 2-0 in game one and 3-2 in 11 innings in game two.
"We fought very hard. It was very emotional. You just hate to lose games like that," Purdue head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "I don't think they're getting discouraged. They're just pretty bummed. Any time you lose, it hurts, especially when you have the chance to knock off the No. 6 team in the country."
Game two was as thrilling as it gets when it comes to Big Ten softball. Twice, the go-ahead run was cut down at the plate on a perfect throw by the center fielder for both teams. In the eighth, senior Sam Mercier ended a Michigan threat with a Willie-Mays-like over-the-shoulder catch and double play, as she spun around after the pop-up to throw out the Michigan runner at first. In the seventh, the Boilers staged a remarkable rally to tie the score. After fouling off several pitches with two strikes, senior Denise Szany hit a two-out double past a diving right fielder to score senior Mandy Smart from first base to even the score at 2-2.
In extra innings, Purdue had several chances to take the lead, but couldn't manage to push a runner across the plate. Freshman Katie Crabtree singled and stole second to start the eighth, but could advance no further. An inning later, junior Skeeter Nixon was thrown out at home plate on a laser from center fielder Tammy Mika. In the 11th, Purdue's first two hitters singled, but the next three batters went down in order. In the bottom of the 11th, Michigan tallied four straight hits to win the game, but it wasn't easy, as Smart threw out the first Wolverine that tried to score with a bullet from center field.
"We've been in every game recently and we've gone to extra innings twice," Bruggeman said. "We've fought hard and we're right there with the top 20 teams in the country. I think that we've proven that, but we need to find a way to get the big hit."
In the first game, it was a pitcher's duel. The game was scoreless until the seventh, when Michigan's Rebecca Tune hit a two-out, two-strike pitch back through the middle to bring home two runners. Marie Barda (12-1) earned the win for the Wolverines, allowing three hits in the complete-game victory. Purdue's Nicole Crouse (9-8) took the loss, allowing four hits and two-earned runs in a complete-game effort.
Crouse also pitched six innings of relief in the second game, coming in for starter Meagan Dooley. The only run she allowed was in the 11th inning. Overall, the freshman from LaPalma, Calif. (J.F. Kennedy), allowed three-earned runs in 13 innings on the day. In fact, in game one, Crouse held Michigan to its' lowest hit total (4) since the Wolverines' first game of the season, when they had three hits against No. 4 Washington.
"She was definitely tiring in the second game," Bruggeman said. "She fought very hard. She has a sore shoulder, but she pitched as hard as she could. To hold that team to two-three runs is amazing. I'm very proud of our pitchers."
Purdue will now prepare for a three-game series with Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich., on April 10-11. The first pitch will be thrown out at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
R H EMichigan 2 4 1Purdue 0 3 2
Purdue 2 12 2Michigan 3 13 2