March 18, 2000
TAMPA, Fla. - The Purdue softball team split their final two games at the USF-Clearwater Invitational on Saturday. The Boilermakers, 14-13 overall, defeated Tennessee Tech 5-0 and lost to Northern Illinois 3-2. The loss eliminated the Boilers from the tournament.
"We played well in both games," coach Carol Bruggeman said. "The NIU game was a tough one to lose, but our team showed a lot of determination and fight. They never gave up and were on the verge of winning right up to the last out. Against Tennessee Tech we played a pretty complete game. Our defense was tough, we hit well and Leighann (Burke) pitched very well. This has been a good trip for our team, we had some tough breaks, but we also learned a lot about ourselves as a team."
The Boilers, seeded seventh for bracket play, rapped out 10 hits against Tennessee Tech, with seven players collecting hits. Freshman Heidi Foster led Purdue, going 2-for-2 with a RBI, a run scored and a stolen base. Angi Roembke also finished the game 2-for-2.
Leighann Burke picked up her fifth win of the season, tossing a complete game, two-hitter. The freshman struck out a batter in each inning to bring her season total to a team-leading 48.
In the second game the Boilers found themselves down 3-0 after four, but rallied behind a two out, two-run single by Foster in the fifth that scored Roembke and senior Skeeter Nixon to make it a one-run game. Purdue could get no closer as the Huskies thwarted two two-out rallies in the sixth and seventh to preserve the win.
Senior Crystal Inman took the loss, her first of the season, for Purdue. The right-hander surrendered all three runs in three innings pitched, striking out four, while walking two.
Purdue concluded their spring break trip to Tampa 6-6 overall, finishing 2-4 at the Speedline Invitational and 4-2 at Clearwater. Purdue will travel to South Bend on Thursday to take on Notre Dame in a double-header beginning at 4 p.m.