Feb. 8, 2003
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - In Game 2 of the doubleheader with Kansas, the first of championship bracket play, the Boilermakers fell to the Jayhawks 3-1.
Kansas took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, using a combination of offensive plays including sacrifices, bunts and just plain hard hitting to move runners around the bases. With runners at second and third, Sylvia Pfeiffer knocked a two-run single down the left side to give the Jayhawks the advantage.
Purdue fought back in the top of the third inning as Shelli Messer singled to left field, then advanced to second on a Katie Absher sacrifice bunt. Freshman Tricia Lilley doubled to center to score Messer and slice the lead to one.
Pfeiffer struck again in the fifth inning, launching a solo home run over the left field fence to cap the Jayhawks' sweep.
The Old Gold and Black scored one run on six hits and left five runners on base, while Kansas tallied three runs on seven hits with two left on.
"We played two very good games against Kansas, which is a very good team," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "I am probably most proud of Diana LaRiva, who pitched most of the day today and really had their number. She gave us 100 percent effort. I am very proud of her and also the way we came back. We got down early in the first game and then had a huge rally. That shows a lot about the character of our team. I thought we battled well, we just need to find ways to win these close games instead of coming up on the short end."
Purdue (1-3) will face Stetson (2-2) in its final game of the Triple Crown Invitational at 8:30 Sunday morning.