April 6, 2003
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A 2-1 lead turned into an 8-2 loss as a dismal sixth inning cost Purdue the night cap against Minnesota and sent the Golden Gophers home with a sweep.
After five full innings of no-hit softball, Minnesota finally broke through in the sixth with seven runs on five hits and four Boilermaker errors. The Golden Gophers tied it at two on the first of the Purdue miscues, an errant throw by the third baseman on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Relief pitcher Angie Recknor helped her own case, reaching on the error and scoring pinch runner Erin Wallace from second. Wallace was running for Shelly Nichols, who was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and had advanced to second on a bunt single by Anne Thul. Thul scored on a Lindsey Erickson single up the middle. The rally continued with a two-run single up the gut by Stefanie Watt.
With the lead gone and two runners aboard, head coach Carol Bruggeman looked to senior Leighann Burke for relief on the mound. Burke immediately tabbed the second out of the inning, getting Veronica Roberts to ground out. The Golden Gophers weren't done yet, however, as Hailee Nanchy snuck a two-run double down the left field line. Fielding woes continued as Nanchy moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error by the first baseman. The Boilermakers' final error of the day, on a fly ball to left field, was not costly as Recknor grounded out to get Purdue out of the inning, but the damage had been done.
Purdue went down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh to seal the victory and the sweep for Minnesota.
The Boilermakers didn't wait long to get on the scoreboard in Game 2, tallying a pair of runs in the first inning as Heidi Foster tabbed a two-run strike over the wall in right center field, scoring herself and sophomore Andrea Hillsey, who singled to right.
Minnesota broke into the run column in the second with an unearned run after a pair of walks, a passed ball, and an errant throw by the catcher. Thul climbed aboard with a lead-off walk, then advanced to third on a passed ball and a ground out. Erickson was then walked by freshman Diana LaRiva and attempted to steal second, when the catcher overthrew second looking for the putout. Pinch runner Allie Fisk scored on the miscue.
The bright spot for Purdue was its hitting, which resurrected after a two-hit outing in Game 1. The Boilermakers had eight hits, three by Hillsey, who was 3-for-3 in the night cap, but left six aboard.
Only three of the Minnesota's eight runs will count against the Boilermaker pitchers. Recknor saved the day for the Golden Gophers and improves to 11-3 with the win, while LaRiva drops to 9-8 with the loss.
The Boilermakers will regroup before traveling to Fort Wayne, Ind., for a Tuesday doubleheader with IPFW. The first pitch is set for 2 p.m.