Feb. 15, 2003
LAS VEGAS - Purdue came up on the short end of the international tiebreaker in a 5-4, eight-inning battle with Cal Poly.
The game went to the international tiebreaker rule, which places a runner on second to begin the inning, after Purdue tied the game at four in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Boilermaker defense put out two Mustangs on ground balls to open the eighth, but the runner, Teresa Miller, advanced to third. Shortstop Chelsy Stoufer singled to drive in the winning run.
Purdue had a chance to answer in the bottom of the inning as catcher Kristen Schell moved from second to third on a Tricia Lilley popup. With two outs, senior Angi Roembke tallied a fielder's choice bunt, but Cal Poly went for the out at the plate and tagged Schell to end the game.
The scoring started in the top of the second with an RBI triple by Natalie Carrillo. Carrillo knocked in Holly Ballard, who reached on a walk and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches.
The Boilermakers tied it in the bottom of the third on a pair of doubles. Andrea Hillsey snuck a two-out double up the left field line to set up Purdue's first run of the day. Senior Heidi Foster followed Hillsey's lead with a double to left center to drive in the run.
The Old Gold and Black struck again in the fourth inning as a Laura Martin double got things started. Schell hit a laser past the shortstop to put runners on the corners. Mustang Cassie Vanderbeek came in to pitch and walked freshman Staci Falzon to load the bases. Lilley hit a sacrifice fly to center field as pinch runner Cheryl Buergler came around to score the winning run.
The Old Gold and Black continued to build on their lead in the fifth. Hillsey went aboard on a free pass, then advanced on a grounder by Foster. Senior Jesse Jones singled to center field, driving in Hillsey from second.
Carrillo gave Cal Poly a 4-3 lead with a three-run shot over the left field fence, scoring Holly Ballard and Roni Sparrey, who reached base on a single and hit-by-pitch respectively. Purdue tied it up on an error by the shortstop, which put Roush on first and scored Angela Knight. Knight was pinch running for Andrea Hillsey, who was walked.
The eight inning game was the first extra-inning performance for the Boilermakers since a 3-2 loss to #19 Iowa in eight innings on April 7, 2002. In program history, Purdue is 9-15-2 in extra inning games.
The Old Gold and Black return to action at 11:30 a.m. when they face UC Riverside.