April 18, 2000
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue Softball team swept its doubleheader at Valparaiso on Tuesday, winning 2-0 and 6-2 over the Crusaders. The Boilermakers (29-22 overall) got strong pitching from Leighann Burke in the first game and power hitting, including back-to-back home runs, from the middle of the lineup in the second.
"We played well in both games," coach Carol Bruggeman said. "After the emotion of a big victory like Sunday's over Iowa it can be easy to let down and just go out and play. We didn't let that happen today. We were aggressive and used our defense to keep us in the games until our offense came around. With a 9-1 record against teams from Indiana, we're starting to establish ourselves as one of the top teams in the state."
Burke (9-9) tossed a complete game, one hit shutout in the first game of the twin bill. The freshman southpaw struck out eight Crusader batters, raising her team-leading total to 102, while walking only two. Offensively, Purdue scored single runs in the top of the sixth and seventh innings to help earn Burke her ninth win of the season. Angi Roembke finished the game 2-for-2, while Skeeter Nixon came around to score the winning run in the sixth.
The Boilers, who waited until the fourth inning of game two to do anything offensively, put their first to hits to good use. Katie Crabtree led off the inning with a solo home run to centerfield that not only cleared the portable fence at 220 feet, but also the permanent one at 250 to give Purdue a 1-0 lead. Clean up hitter Heidi Foster followed Crabtree's at bat with a solo shot to center of her own to make the score 2-0.
Jessica Jones, Purdue's number five hitter, had to wait until the sixth inning for her shot at making school history. The third baseman lofted a Crusader offering high to straightaway center just deep enough to land on the far side of the fence for Purdue's third home run of the game. The three solo round-trippers set a new school mark for number of home runs in a game and gave Purdue all the runs they would need for victory.
Crystal Inman picked up her sixth win of the year, surrendering two runs in five innings pitched. She struck out two, while walking one. Nicole Crouse pitched the final two innings in relief. Offensively, Purdue rapped out nine hits with Jones and Danika Nice both finishing 2-for-3, each with a run scored.
The Boilermakers return to action on Thursday when they take on Dayton in doubleheader action at the Varsity Softball Complex in West Lafayette.