April 13, 2003
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A single run in the top of the second was all the Boilermaker softball team allowed, but that was all it would take as the Northwestern Wildcats chalked up a 1-0 victory in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader.
Kristin Amegin hit a one-out single down the left field line and moved to second as Robyn Pettinger came aboard on an error by the third baseman. Both runners advanced as home plate umpire Joseph Squires called starter Leighann Burke for an illegal pitch. A wild pitch by Burke allowed Amegin to score for the lone run of the contest.
Purdue threatened in the fourth as Andrea Hillsey picked up a lead-off walk, then moved to third on a pair of wild pitches by Courtnay Foster. With two outs, senior Andrea Roush launched a fly ball into shallow left field, but a diving grab by left fielder Brett Nakabayashi prevented the run and got the Wildcats out of the inning unscathed.
The Boilermakers had another runner in scoring position in the sixth as sophomore designated player, who started her second game of the year, tabbed a short single toward the third baseman and advanced on an Angela Knight sacrifice bunt. Absher was left stranded as the pitcher Foster threw one of her 10 strikeouts in the game.
Absher picked up the team's second and last hit with a two-out bunt single in the seventh. Another Foster K clinched the win for Northwestern.
"I didn't hit the ball very well today," Absher said. " I just hit it in the right spots. I was just glad to have the opportunity and I tried to take advantage of it."
Foster moved to 11-6 with the win, while Burke fell to 16-10 with the defeat. Absher tallied both of the Boilermakers hits with a 2-for-3 performance.
"Game 1 was a classic pitching dual," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "It was tough to see Leighann lose because neither pitcher deserved to lose in that game. Odd things happened to us, but more importantly, we didn't score. I give credit to their pitcher Foster and their defense. We threatened a few times, but they were tough when they needed to be."
Purdue looks to end a three game Northwestern win streak with a victory in the night cap.