March 14, 2002
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Purdue softball team defeated Valparaiso twice on Wednesday, 7-0 and 13-1, in doubleheader action at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World. The Boilermakers improved to 17-9, while the Crusaders fell to 4-2.
"Today was an outstanding team effort in both games," said coach Carol Bruggeman. "All three phases of our game were on, and Nicole Crouse and Meagan Dooley kept Valparaiso off-balance all day.
"These two wins were important for us because all of our other games have been very intense and close games. It was really nice to come out and put away a team early."
The Boilermakers kept the Crusaders on their heels from the start, tallying two runs in the first inning, one run in the second, one in the third, two in the fifth and one in the sixth. With the aid of four Valparaiso errors, the Boilermakers recorded their eighth shutout of the year while knocking out seven hits.
Highlighting the Boilermakers' scoring was an Angi Roembke bunt in the first inning that gave the Boilermakers their first hit of the game, as she beat out the throw to first. Also gathering a hit in the first inning was Andrea Roush, who singled to left field and drove Roembke in for the RBI.
In the bottom of the third inning, Roush scored on a double by Laura Martin, the designated player, after reaching on a walk.
Purdue's offense and the four errors by Valparaiso combined to end the game in a route.
On the mound for Purdue, Crouse pitched a complete game, allowing four hits, no runs, no walks and striking out eight. She improved to 5-3 on the year.
In the second game, Purdue scored 13 runs on 11 hits.
Valparaiso held Purdue scoreless until the top of the third inning, when first baseman Heidi Foster hit her seventh home run of the year. The two-run shot over the left center field wall also scored Andrea Hillsey, who had reached on a fielder's choice when Roembke was thrown out at the plate.
Things fell apart for the Crusaders in the top of the fourth inning, when the Boilermakers scored nine runs on seven hits. In that run, Crouse made her debut on the basepaths, pinch-running for shortstop Katie Crabtree.
In the fifth inning, the Old Gold and Black wrapped up the win with two more runs, as Hillsey scored on a Martin groundout, and Foster scored on a Jesse Jones single through the left side. Also, in her first career at-bat, pitcher Leighann Burke pinch-hit for Roush and tallied a sacrifice bunt, advancing both Foster and Hillsey.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Foster made her 2002 pitching debut.
On the mound in the second game, Dooley pitched 4.2 innings, allowing one hit, one run and no walks while striking out two batters. She improved her record to 5-2. Foster allowed one hit and one walk while facing two batters.
The Boilermakers return to the field on Friday, when they take on Temple in a doubleheader at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex at 2:30 p.m. EST. They will then finish their Spring Break tour on Sunday with a single game against George Mason at 9 a.m.