March 1, 2003
FULLERTON, Calif. - First baseman Nichole Ivie hit a pair of home runs, a solo shot and a two-run effort to lead Portland State to a 5-1 win over the Boilermakers in day two action at the Worth Invitational.
Ivie led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run to left center field, her first of the year. Purdue tied it up in the top of third as sophomore Andrea Hillsey tabbed her second hit of the day, a single up the middle to drive in Angela Knight from third. Knight received a free base from pitcher Morgan Seibert and advanced to third on a pair of infield grounders before scoring.
Sophomore Shelli Messer walked Megumi Hackett to start the bottom of the third. Maggie DeWall also reached on a fielder's choice, before senior Leighann Burke came in to replace Messer on the mound. Burke got Annie Peccia to fly into a double play to leave just Hackett on the base paths. Ivie then clinched the victory for the Vikings with a two-run shot to left center.
The pitching change shifted Messer to third base, while Jesse Jones moved from third to catcher and Laura Martin entered the game as the designated player taking the eighth spot in the lineup from Kristen Schell.
The Boilermakers got two aboard in the fourth, as Jones walked and Messer reached on a fielder's choice. Messer stole second to put a runner in scoring position, but to no avail as Martin grounded out to end the inning.
Portland State expanded the point margin with two more runs in the fifth when Erin Stokey doubled home Hackett and Ivie, who had reached on an intentional walk. Purdue had one last chance in the top of the seventh with two runners on with just one out. Martin walked, then Knight took advantage of an error by the center fielder to give the Old Gold and Black runners at first and second for Tricia Lilley. Lilley reached base on a fielder's choice, which resulted in the force out at third. Angi Roembke grounded out to end the game. The Boilermakers' effort featured some clutch defensive plays. Ashley Tennant bunted in the fourth inning, leaving the ball just in front of the plate. Jones laid out to snag the ball and tossed it from the ground to Hillsey, who was covering first, to get the out. Andrea Roush showed some defensive prowess in the sixth, sliding on her knees to grab a fly ball to center to tally the second out of the inning. Seibert recorded her first win of the season, while Messer dropped to 0-1 with her first decision. Hillsey was 2-for-2 on the day and also tallied a walk. The Old Gold and Black will be back in action at 2 p.m. when they face the No. 17 Oregon State Beavers.