May 12, 2000
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The Purdue softball team dropped a heartbreaking game 2-1 to Northwestern Friday afternoon at the Big Ten Championship Tournament in Iowa City, Iowa. The Boilermakers (33-28), who finished with their third highest victory total ever, were eliminated from the tournament with the second one-run loss.
"I am so proud of this team," coach Carol Bruggeman said. "They played their hearts out in the two games and really came together as a team. Their focus and intensity both days was awsome. I know this team is disappointed, we came here with intention of not just winning a couple of games but the whole thing. It's a tough way end the season, but like I told the team after the game we put ourselves in a position to win both, which is all you can really ask for."
The Wildcats scored first on a Jenn Schurr two-run homer off starter Meagan Dooley in the fourth, the first home run given up by the sophomore right-hander in 151.2 innings pitched this season.
"Meagan has been outstanding all season," Bruggeman said. "We've relied on her throughout the year and she has come up big for us. Give credit to Schurr, she came up with a big hit."
The Boilermakers would rally for a run in the sixth when freshman Jessica Jones lined a double over the head of the Wildcat's Erin Jancic in center to leadoff the inning. Bruggeman replaced Jones at second with Briana Hensley, who promptly moved to third on a wild pitch by Northwestern starter Lauren Schwendimann. Freshman Heidi Foster drove Hensley home on single to right-center to make the score 2-1.
The Boilers would threaten again in the bottom of the seventh when Angi Roembke slapped a one out, bloop single into shallow leftfield. After a Katie Crabtree strikeout, Andrea Roush followed with a looping double down the leftfield line to give the Boilermakers runners on second and third with two outs. Jones would battle Schwendimann heroically, narrowly missing on shot down the third base line that fell foul, before going down swinging to end the game.
"Jesse was very tough up there," Bruggeman said. "Her foul ball missed the line and changing the outcome of the game by inches. I couldn't have asked for anything more than what she gave today. Like I said this was a hard way to end the season. I feel for our seniors Skeeter (Nixon), Danica (Maher) and Crystal (Inman), who played in their final game for Purdue today. The three of them have left a permanent impression on this program and have all played key roles this season and in their careers. I think that for the players that are returning, they got a taste for what it is like to play in a Big Ten championship and are going to make the effort to get back here and build off what they have already accomplished."