Feb. 10, 2002
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - The Purdue softball team was defeated today, 1-0, in the championship game of the Triple Crown Invitational in St. Augustine, Fla. The Boilermakers fall to 3-2, while the Bulldogs improve to 10-0.
The game stayed at a 0-0 deadlock until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Georgia's Julie Milner was walked, advanced to second on a fly ball caught in centerfield by junior Andrea Roush, and then scored from second on a single to center by Kim Wendland.
The Boilermakers came back in the top of the sixth when Roush started off the order with a hard single to right center. Senior shortstop Katie Crabtree followed with another single to left center that put Roush on second and brought the hard-hitting first baseman Heidi Foster to the plate.
The Bulldogs had a hard decision with Foster at the plate, as they had intentionally walked her in the third inning, but decided to pitch to her with runners on first and second. Foster hit a high foul ball by third and fouled out as the third baseman caught the ball.
The next Boilermaker batter was senior relief pitcher Meagan Dooley. Dooley did her part and hit away for a second to first play that advanced the runners to second and third.
This brought up junior catcher Jesse Jones. Jones was a hard strike out for Georgia's Michelle Green, but on a high pitch, she swung away and struck out.
The Old Gold and Black held the Bulldogs through the next inning, but were unable to convert in the top of the seventh with the Georgia defense.
The Boilermakers will return to the field next weekend, when they travel to San Antonio, Texas for the UTSA Tournament, hosted by Texas-San Antonio. The Old Gold and Black will take on Kentucky at 10 a.m. and Wichita State 12:30 p.m. on Friday. They will then play Texas and Southwest Texas on Saturday and Bethune-Cookman and UT-San Antonio on Sunday.
-P-