March 16, 2002
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Purdue softball team swept the Temple Owls, 5-4 and 3-0, in doubleheader action at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex on Thursday, March 15. The Boilermakers improve to 19-9 on the year with the victories.
The first game of the afternoon saw hot bats from both teams, but the Boilermakers were able to deliver in the clutch.
Junior pitcher Leighann Burke earned the game start and struck out the side, beginning her nine strikeouts of the day.
The second inning proved to be different for the Owls, as they led off the inning with a walk. Two batters later, a double scored the run.
Purdue answered in the top of the third, as freshman third baseman Shelli Messer led off the inning with a single to left field. Junior outfielders Andrea Roush and Angi Roembke then followed with two more hits to load the bases. Freshman second baseman Andrea Hillsey stepped up and drove in Messer with a fielder's choice groundout to second.
The battle continued as Temple led off the bottom of the third with a home run over the centerfield fence.
The see-saw battle continued in the fourth when senior shortstop Katie Crabtree opened the inning with a single down the first base line. Freshman Courtney Kovanis came in to pinch run for Crabtree. Junior designated player Laura Martin followed with a base hit to right field before Messer earned a fielder's choice to second that scored Kovanis. Roush helped the effort with an RBI infield single that scored Messer. The Old Gold and Black also tallied two stolen bases in the inning.
With the Boilermakers up 3-2 headed into the fifth inning, defense played a huge factor in finishing the game. With one out and runners in scoring position for the Owls, Messer stepped up and grabbed a shot down the third base line. She stepped on third for the force out and then threw to first to complete the clutch double play.
As the two teams battled, Temple set the stage for a dramatic ending with a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth. This gave the Boilermakers only one more chance to win the game.
In the top of the seventh and down 4-3, Crabtree belted a home run over the right field fence. With the game tied and two outs, Jesse Jones pounded her first home run of the year to centerfield. Jones' hit and run were enough to give the Old Gold and Black the win, 5-4.
The victory was sealed in the bottom of the seventh inning with a stellar defensive play by the Boilermaker infield. With a Temple runner on second and one out, Messer fielded a ground ball to third. She checked the runner at second and threw to first for the out. The runner at second sped to third on the throw, causing junior Heidi Foster to turn the ball back to Crabtree, covering third. The runner beat the throw, but slid past the base. Staying with the play, Crabtree applied the tag to end the game.
Senior pitcher Meagan Dooley, who entered the game in the sixth, garnered the win.
"Today was a great come-from-behind-win in game one," said Purdue head coach Carol Bruggeman. "We had our backs against the wall and both our captains showed their leadership by each hitting a solo home run. They both battled hard and found a way to get it done."
Game two was not as entertaining to the crowd as the first, but it did produce a Boilermaker victory.
Senior pitcher Nicole Crouse shutout the Owls, giving up three hits in the game. The Boilermaker defense was exceptional as well, highlighted by a home run saving catch in left field by Roembke.
The Purdue scoring rally took off in the bottom of the third, the only inning either team scored. Sophomore outfielder Angela Knight led off the inning with a single to left field. Roush followed with a bunt, which forced an erred throw to second. Roembke bunted again for an infield hit to load the bases and Foster pounded a shot up the middle for a two RBI double and the first Purdue runs. Crabtree gathered the last RBI of the inning with a single up the middle.
"Nicole Crouse and our defense dominated with a shutout highlighted by Angi's catch in left," said Bruggeman. "Heidi and Katie broke open the game with timely RBI's and we were in control from that point on."
The Boilermakers, 9-2 on their Spring Break tour, will complete their trip on Sunday with a single game against George Mason at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex at 9 a.m.
-P-