March 8, 2002
PLANT CITY, Fla. - The Purdue softball team tallied two more wins today to improve its record to 12-8 in the second day of the Speedline Invitational. The Boilermakers defeated both Northern Illinois, 7-0, and South Florida, 9-6, in pool play.
"It felt great to win two today," said Purdue head coach Carol Bruggeman. "By winning both, we met our goal today and we hope to carry that into tomorrow, as well. In the first game, it felt like the first game of the year with all cylinders firing great. Meagan Dooley did a nice job on the mound for the shutout win and we had great team defense and timely hitting throughout the lineup. Angela Knight came up big with her three RBI for us, too."
Against the Huskies, the Boilermakers scored their first two runs in the top of the second inning when senior shortstop Katie Crabtree hit a single and advanced to second on the throw, as junior catcher Jesse Jones and junior designated player Laura Martin crossed the plate to make it 2-0, Purdue.
The Old Gold and Black didn't make good on more runs until the sixth inning, when the NIU pitcher walked freshman second baseman Andrea Hillsey in and sophomore outfielder Angela Knight hit a double that scored Martin, freshman Katie Absher and freshman Courtney Kovanis, both pinch runners.
The Boilermakers capped off the game with one more run in the top of the seventh inning, when Crabtree singled to left field, and then eventually came across the plate off a Heidi Foster sacrifice fly to left field.
"In the second game, we continued to play with our offensive fire power," said Bruggeman. "Another home run by Katie Crabtree home run was a great example of that. Then, we were able to find a way to shut them down and win, when USF made their run."
In their second game, the Old Gold and Black started the game off with two runs in each of the first three innings. In the first inning, Crabtree crossed the plate after singling, making her way around on a wild pitch and then came home on an error by USF's catcher. Then, junior outfielder Angi Roembke scored from second on a Jones single.
In the second inning, Crabtree hit her seventh home run of the year, a two-run shot, to score Knight, who had been walked, as well as herself.
The third inning junior outfielder Andrea Roush doubled to left centerfield, advanced to third, and then scored, as freshman Shelli Messer reached on an error by the Bulls' shortstop. Then, Crabtree reached on another shortstop error and advanced to second on the throw that attempted to get Messer at the plate.
South Florida scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning, when they hit a two RBI double. Then, USF added four more runs on four hits and one Purdue error in the top of the sixth, as it made an attempt to come back from the deficit.
But, the Boilermakers held strong for the win, as their defense finished the Bulls off in the top of the seventh.
The Old Gold and Black will return to the diamond tomorrow at 2 p.m., as they finish out the last game of the pool play. Following their game against Oklahoma State, the Boilermakers will play at either 5 p.m. or 7 p.m., depending on the bracket seed.
-P-