March 9, 2000
SOFTBALL DROPS TWO IN SPEEDLINE INVITATIONAL For Immediate Release March 9, 2000
TAMPA, Fla. - The Purdue softball team dropped their first two games at the Speedline Invitational in Tampa, Fla., Thursday afternoon. The Boilermakers, 8-9 overall, saw their six-game win streak come to an end in 3-1 and 2-1 losses to UConn and No. 18 South Carolina, respectively. Purdue could only manage nine hits in the two games against the Huskies and Gamecocks.
"Defensively we were good enough to win both of the games today," coach Carol Bruggeman said. "Offensively we regressed from where we left off in California. We had too many strikeouts and missed bunts. We had a couple of scoring opportunities that we didn't take advantage of, we just couldn't come up with the big hits."
In the morning game, the Huskies scored three first inning runs on two hits off Purdue starter Leighann Burke and were never able to get anything going offensively. The Boilers scattered their five hits in the game over four innings, with their lone run coming in the fifth when designated play Danica Maher led off the inning with an infield single and was replaced at first by Angi Roembke. After a strikeout by catcher Keely Povlitz, pinch hitter Laura Martin was hit by a pitch and was given first base, moving Roembke up to second. Skeeter Nixon then lined a single to the outfield, plating Roembke for Purdue's lone run and moving Andrea Roush, who returned to run for Martin, to third. After a steal by Nixon, her seventh of the season, and another hit batter, Lynne Tortorelli this time, Purdue loaded the bases with only one out, but would see their rally fall short when Katie Crabtree grounded into a pitcher-to home-to first double play to end the inning.
Burke, 3-4 for the season, took the loss giving up the three runs in 3.2 innings. Nixon was the lone Boiler to collect two hits in the game, going 2-3.
The second game played out much like the first when the Boilers fell down 2-0 early to the Gamecocks. Similar to the earlier game, Purdue had an opportunity in the third inning with runners on second and third, but were unable to advance the runners and change the direction of the game.
Andrea Roush started things off in the inning with a one out bunt, placed perfectly down the firstbase line. She moved to second on a walk by Nixon and to third on a fielders choice by Angi Roembke. With two outs and runners on second and third Crabtree drew a walk to load the bases for Chrissy Davie. Davie sent a grounder back to the pitcher for an inning ending put out at first. Gamecock starter Joyce McMillin struck out eight Purdue hitters en route to her complete-game victory.
The Boilers lone highlight offensively came in the second inning when freshman Heidi Foster blasted her first collegiate home run over the left-center wall.
Meagan Dooley saw her record fall to 3-3 for the season, giving up the two runs unearned in seven innings pitched. The sophomore allowed just six hits, while striking out five.
The Old Gold and Black return to action on Friday when they take on Maryland at 10 a.m. and Hofstra at 2 p.m.
- P - (For further information, contact Matt Rector at 765-494-3919 or pusports@gte.net)