March 31, 2000
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue softball team split it's opening two games of the Big Ten season on Friday. The Boilermakers (20-17, 1-1 Big Ten) defeated Michigan State 3-0 in the opener and fell 2-0 in the second game. Starters Meagan Dooley and Leighann Burke were impressive in the two games, allowing only a combined four hits in 12.2 innings pitched. Head coach Carol Bruggeman picked up her 200th career coaching victory with the win.
"Our pitching was superb today," Bruggeman said. "Michigan State is one the top hitting teams in the Big Ten and Meagan gives up only one hit and Leighann three. If we continue to get performances like that we are going to be very competitive in the conference. Our defense was off today, which is very unusual for this team and that really played a big part in the outcome of the second game. We need to put those miscues behind us and focus on Michigan tomorrow and Sunday."
Dooley (7-5), who already has two no-hitters to her credit this season, was on pace to add another, going 6.1 innings before surrendering a single to right to Shealee Dunavan. The sophomore righthander went the distance, striking out one while inducing 14 ground ball outs. The complete game shutout lowered Dooley's season era to a microscopic 0.51.
Offensively the Boilermakers rapped out five hits in the game. Sophomore rightfielder Chrissy Davie hit her second home run of the season, a solo shot to right in the fourth. She finished the game 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored. Skeeter Nixon also collected two hits (2-for-3), while scoring a run, moving her two away from tying Sam Mercier's school record of 114.
The second game went scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when the Spartans put two unearned runs on the board off Burke. The freshman southpaw (5-7) was impressive in the loss pitching 5.2 innings, striking out two to raise her team-leading total to 62 on the season.
Offensively Purdue could only manage three hits of Spartan pitching, with Jessica Jones the lone Boiler to pick up multiple hits finishing 2-for-3.
The Boilermakers will resume Big Ten action on Saturday as the Michigan Wolverines, fresh off their Boilermaker Invitational victory, come to town for a 1 p.m. game at the Varsity Softball Complex.