April 7, 2001
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Purdue softball team defeated Michigan State today, 5-1, in the second weekend of Big Ten play. The Boilermakers improve to 26-14-1 (3-4 Big Ten) and the Spartans fall to 14-26 (1-4 Big Ten).
"I thought today was an outstanding offensive effort," said Purdue head coach Carol Bruggeman. "It was nice to get back in the win column and I thought our team played well."
The Boilermakers took away the win today with an offensive effort that was like none other in the recent past. They were able to tally seven hits to go with their five runs in only four different innings.
Purdue fell behind, 1-0, in the first part of the game, as the Spartans scored in the bottom of the first inning off a single to right field, followed by a base hit that bounced off pitcher Leighann Burke's foot, allowing the MSU runner to beat the throw at first.
Michigan State's next batter reached on a fielder's choice as the runner was thrown out at third from Burke. Next, the Spartans tallied another out with a 3-4 play, but advanced the leading runner to third. Burke then threw a wild pitch to allow both runners on second and third to advance and score. She finished the inning off with her first strikeout of the game.
The Green and White would hold the lead for three full innings, but Purdue made its comeback, to even the score in the top of the fifth. Freshman designated player Sara Hall stepped to the plate and got the job done with her third home run of the year, sending the ball deep over the left center field fence to silence the heckling fans on the fence.
But the Boilermakers weren't satisfied just yet. After holding the Spartans scoreless again in the bottom of the fifth, junior shortstop Katie Crabtree tallied an infield single, able to beat out the throw of the Michigan State third baseman. Then senior outfielder Lynne Tortorelli tallied another Boilermaker infield single, beating out the throw to first on her bunt. Crabtree advanced to third, becoming a scoring threat to MSU with only one out on the board.
Sophomore third baseman Jesse Jones then stepped to the plate and smacked a single to left field, scoring Crabtree on the hit and advancing Jones to second and scoring Tortorelli on a fielding error by the Michigan State left fielder.
But Purdue still wasn't done and sophomore Briana Hensley entered the game to run for Jones on second. Just as Hensley advanced to third on a wild pitch by Spartan pitcher Becky Gray, a pitching change was made and Jessica Beech came in from left field to pitch the remaining innings.
But Beech didn't have what it would take to defeat the Old Gold and Black, as they were on an offensive drive. Sophomore Heidi Foster stepped to the plate as Beech's first batter and nailed her fifth home run of the year over the left center field fence for two RBI and to silence the MSU fans once again, as Purdue led 5-1.
The Boilermakers ended their inning, tallying their final two outs, but didn't allow another Michigan State run for their 26th win of the season.
Purdue will return to the field tomorrow, April 8, at 1 p.m. for the second game of the two-game series against Michigan State.
-P-