March 7, 2003
PLANT CITY, Fla. - A three-run fourth inning helped Purdue over Pacific as the Boilermakers topped the Tigers 6-2 to garner their second win of the day.
"It was definitely our best overall day of softball on the season," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "Diana LaRiva led the way on the mound with five strikeouts and in the innings where they started to get a rally going, she shut them down. Again, we played very strong defense. We had two runs in the first inning and that set the tone for the game. We hit through the lineup and our intensity was very high. We had a very strong day today with the two wins and now we control our own destiny in pool play."
Senior Laura Martin kicked things off with a one-out single up the middle. Junior Angela Knight knocked an RBI triple with two outs to score pinch runner Courtney Kovanis from first. Pitcher Jennifer Dacre walked Tricia Lilley, who then stole second. Senior Angi Roembke then singled to the pitcher, scoring Knight from third. Purdue then capitalized on an errant throw by the catcher attempting to stop Roembke from stealing second, which allowed Lilley to score.
The Boilermakers jumped out to a 2-0 lead, duplicating the final score vs. the Tigers last week in Fullerton, Calif., with two runs on four hits in the opening stanza. Three singles and a sacrifice bunt scored the first run. Lilley singled past the second baseman and advanced to second on a bunt. Sophomore Andrea Hillsey singled to left and Heidi Foster followed to drive in the run. Senior Andrea Roush kept the left fielder busy, notching a two-out RBI single to left to score Hillsey.
Pacific finally answered in the fifth, tallying three two-out hits to put a run on the board. Brandi Gordon singled to left to start the string. Barbara Moody doubled to center to scored the run. Brittany Hyams singled to left for the inning's third hit, but wound up stranded on a fly out to right.
Purdue got the run back in the sixth with the help of two hit-by-pitches from Dacre. Kristen Schell got beaned in the hand to give the team a base runner. Pinch runner Cheryl Buergler advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, then Lilley was tagged in the elbow. Roembke reached on an error by the third baseman to load the bases. Hillsey then recorded an RBI single up the middle to score Buergler. Lilley rounded third and was tagged out at home on a throw from the center fielder.
Pacific made one last ditch effort to extend the game in the bottom of the seventh, but could only manage one run, while leaving two runners aboard. Pitcher Diana LaRiva walked Ashlie D'Errico, who then advanced to second on a Moody single to right center. Both runners advanced on a passed ball, before D'Errico cross the plate on a Hyams single to short. Kristen Allen grounded out to seal the game for Purdue.
Hillsey and Martin both went 2-for-4 in the game as five different Boilermakers tabbed an RBI. LaRiva pitched a complete game for the win to move to 2-4, while Dacre dropped to 3-5 with the loss.
The Old Gold and Black are set to meet the Temple Owls at 10 a.m., before advancing to bracket play.