April 16, 2002
CHICAGO, Ill. - The Purdue softball team fell to the UIC Flames on Tuesday in doubleheader action, 8-5 and 7-6, at Flames Field in Chicago. With the losses, the Boilermakers fall to 31-18, while the Flames improve to 27-18.
The Boilermakers started the game right away with their bats, scoring two runs in the first inning. Leadoff batter and senior shortstop Katie Crabtree stepped to the plate and hit a single through the left side, followed by a bunt single by junior outfielder Angi Roembke to put two runners on. Then, freshman second baseman Andrea Hillsey laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, tallying the first out, but putting two runners in scoring position for the Old Gold and Black. Finishing off the hitting drive of the inning, junior first baseman Heidi Foster got a double that would score two out of a looping pop-up to shallow right field that the UIC right fielder dove for, but couldn't reach.
Purdue added another run in the top of the third, when Hillsey singled to reach the base paths and worked her way around as Foster was walked, junior center fielder Andrea Roush singled and junior designated player Laura Martin was walked, to put Hillsey across the plate on Martin's walk.
The Flames came back in the bottom of the third to tie it up, with a series of a double, a single that scored one, another single and a walk to load the bases before a Purdue pitching change. Senior Nicole Crouse got herself partially out of a bases loaded jam when she struck out the UIC clean-up hitter, looking. But, the bases were still loaded with two outs and another single up the middle scored two before a play at third tallied the third out of the inning.
The Old Gold and Black would go back up in the top of the fourth inning, scoring two runs to go up 5-3 over the Flames. Crabtree started things again with a single up the middle and a stolen base to go to second. Roembke had another hit in which she beat out the throw to first, putting runners at the corners, just before she took off for second.
Hillsey returned to the plate for another single that scored Crabtree and moved Roembke to third, just before she, too, took off for second. Then, Foster stepped up and singled through the right side, scoring Roembke. Then, Roush returned to the plate again and send one deep, in hopes of the sac fly, but the ball wasn't deep enough, as the UIC right fielder made the play at the plate when Hillsey headed home.
UIC broke out, took control, and never looked back in the bottom of the fifth, as it tallied five runs on six hits and no Purdue errors with a series of great hits, despite another Boilermaker pitching change, as junior Leighann Burke came in for Crouse.
The Boilermakers threatened again in both the sixth and the seventh innings, but with two hits in each inning, the Old Gold and Black left runners in scoring position both times.
On the mound, senior Meagan Dooley made her 14th start of the year and saw 2.1 innings of action. She allowed three runs on three hits, walked two and struck out one. In relief, Crouse saw 2.0 innings of action and allowed five runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out three. Also in relief, Burke saw 1.2 innings on the mound and allowed one hit, one walk and struck out one.
In the second game, the Boilermakers started off with the exact same base running situation in the top of the first that they did in the first game, but weren't able to take advantage and put runners across the plate.
The Flames tallied one run in the bottom of the first, when their leadoff batter reached on a Purdue error and then came across the plate after a sacrifice bunt put her to second, a stolen base put her at third and then a single up the middle scored her, unearned.
It wasn't until the top of the fourth that the Boilermakers would tie the game up, scoring just one run on three hits, as Purdue started a rally with two outs. A bunt single by Roush, a single by junior catcher Jesse Jones and a single by Martin would put Roush across the plate.
Then, the Flames came back with their own rally in the bottom of the fourth, when clean-up hitter Amanda Rivera hit a grand slam that went over the left centerfield score board of Flames Field. Despite all four runs being unearned for Burke, the long ball put the Flames up 5-1.
The Boilermakers came back with their own vengeance in the top of the sixth, when Roush started things off with a single down the left line. Then, with one out, Martin added a single to left field and with two outs, sophomore Angela Knight reached on a throwing error by the UIC pitcher and Roush scored on the over-throw at first, as Martin went to third and Knight went to second.
Then, Crabtree stepped up and smashed an incredible, three-run bomb over the left centerfield wall and scoreboard for her 12th home run of the season. With this home run, she ties her own Purdue single-season home run record that was set in 2000.
The Boilermakers' next run came after Roembke bunt singled, yet again, and was knocked in by Hillsey, who doubled to left centerfield, putting the Boilermakers up, 6-5.
UIC wasn't ready to give up, however, and it turned the bottom of the sixth into the game-ender, when two more runs came off of four hits.
On the mound for the Boilermakers, Burke made the start and pitched 5.0 innings, allowing six hits, seven runs, two of which were earned, three walks and striking out two. In relief, Dooley pitched 1.0 inning and allowed one hit.
The Old Gold and Black will return to the field on Friday, when they travel to Columbus, Ohio, to take on the Buckeyes on Friday and Saturday, before continuing on to University Park, Pa., to play the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sunday.
-P-