March 26, 2003
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker softball team set a new school record for longest win streak, as it claimed its 11th straight victory, with a 4-1 win in the night cap of the doubleheader with Illinois-Chicago.
The Flames threatened to score first with a runner on in the second inning, but senior catcher Jesse Jones saved the run. Freshman Meghan Gallagher hit a double deep to left field, but was denied the RBI by the Boilermaker defense. A perfect throw from left fielder Angi Roembke to shortstop Tricia Lilley who in turn lasered the ball to Jones stopped the scoring effort. Jones maintained possession of the ball despite being knocked over by Nicole Shepard, who was trying to score from first.
Purdue saved the first run for itself in the bottom of the second. Senior Heidi Foster walked to lead off the inning. Pinch runner Katie Absher moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jones, then scored on a single up the middle by senior Andrea Roush.
After a quiet third inning, Purdue again upped its lead. Sophomore Andrea Hillsey doubled to center field and advanced to third as the ball rolled into the infield on the cutoff throw. For the second time in the doubleheader, fans at the Varsity Softball Complex took in an interesting sight. The UIC third baseman caught a Heidi Foster foul ball in front of the Purdue dugout, but in the struggle to catch the foul, no one covered home. Being aware of the situation, head coach Carol Bruggeman sent Hillsey diving for the plate to score.
The Boilermakers struck again in the fifth as Lilley launched a two-run shot to left center to score herself and junior Angela Knight, who was aboard at first after a single up the middle.
UIC snapped Purdue's streak of seven consecutive shutouts, crossing the plate in the top of the sixth. A single up the middle, a walk and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Alycia Creese, who hit a strike to center field to score the Flames lone run of the game and the first against Purdue in 48 innings. UIC had a chance to do more damage, but a steallar play by Jones on a pick-off attempt, which ended up in a run-down between second and third, wound up as an out at the plate.
The Old Gold and Black scored four runs on six hits, while allowing one run on six hits. Freshman Diana LaRiva picked up the complete game victory and moves to 8-5 on the year. Alison Aguilar fell to 2-10 with the loss.
"The second game was a battle," Bruggeman said. "We had very timely hitting. Andrea Roush had the first RBI on what was the first hit of the game. Obviously, Tricia Lilley's home run was also key in the game. In the one inning that UIC really threatened, our defense rose to the occasion, led by Jesse Jones and Andrea Hillsey, who recorded the play of the game with the pick-off, run down."
Purdue will now prepare for Big Ten competition as it opens the conference season at Penn State on Friday.