March 16, 2001
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Purdue softball team defeated both Western Kentucky and Eastern Illinois today in the second half of pool play at the Capital Classic in Sacramento, Calif. The Boilermakers improve to 17-7-1 on the year with the 6-3 victory over the Hilltoppers of WKU and the Panthers of EIU.
"Our first game today was one of only a few of our come-from-behind victories on the year," said Purdue head coach Carol Bruggeman. "In the second game, we did what we had to do to take the victory. Our defense carried us through and Leighann Burke had another good showing on the mound."
In the first game, Purdue tallied a total of six runs on 13 hits and two errors compared to the Hilltoppers three runs on five hits and three errors.
Western Kentucky scored their first two runs in the bottom of the first inning on two hits and one Purdue error. But the Boilermakers came back strong as they rallied to score a run by freshman Angela Knight who pinch ran for sophomore Heidi Foster after she nailed a single into right field for a single.
The Hilltoppers responded with another run in the bottom of the second, but it wouldn't be enough as the Boilermakers put the bat to the ball in the top of the third inning.
Senior Lynne Tortorelli, sophomore Briana Hensley and Foster all scored with the assistance of hits by Tortorelli, freshman Sara Hall, sophomore Andrea Roush and sophomore Angi Roembke to make the score 5-3, Purdue.
The Old Gold and Black scored their final run in the top of the sixth, as Tortorelli singled and then scored due to a hit by sophomore Jesse Jones, who advanced to second on the throw home in an attempt to tag Tortorelli at the plate.
At the plate for Purdue, Roembke also put her name in the WKU record books, becoming the only opponent player to record four hits in a single game. Roembke went 4-4 at the plate against the Hilltoppers pitching staff.
On the mound for Purdue, junior Meagan Dooley took the win and improves to 5-2, while Burke tallied her second save of the season. Dooley totaled five hits and two walks with four strikeouts, facing 20 batters in 4.1 innings. Burke pitched 2.2 innings and tallied no hits, walks or strikeouts, facing eight batters for her second save of the year.
In the Eastern Illinois game, the Boilermakers' Burke pitched a complete game and took the win on the mound to improve to 6-3 on the season. This was Burke's seventh complete game and fourth shutout for the 2001 campaign.
At the plate for Purdue, junior Katie Crabtree nailed her eighth double of the year with a shot to straight away centerfield on the first pitch of the game. Crabtree would then become the sole run to score for the Old Gold and Black in the top of the seventh.
Also putting the bat to the ball for the Boilermakers was sophomore Jesse Jones, going 2-4 with a double down the left field line and a single to left center field.
The Boilermakers finished with the second-best record in their pool, finishing 3-1 for the pool portion of play. They received the No. 6 seed to begin bracket play and will take on the 12th-seeded Morehead State Eagles at 11 a.m. PST on Saturday. If they win, the Old Gold and Black will take on the winner of New Mexico/Eastern Illinois at 3 p.m.
-P-