April 16, 2003
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - An eight-run first inning set the stage for the Boilermaker softball team's 11-0 victory over Eastern Illinois in what would be a record-breaking day for senior Angi Roembke.
The Purdue left fielder put her name in the record books, tallying her school record 26th steal of the season and the 74th of her career, while tying the single-game record with three swipes. The steals were part of five in the game for the Boilermakers and were just the tip of the iceberg in the victory.
"I didn't even know I was close to the records," Roembke said. "Considering where I came from, it is great to see what I have built from when I was a freshman to now as a senior. I have a lot more confidence now and a lot of that is from the speed and conditioning work that we do in the off-season."
Purdue head coach Carol Bruggeman credits Roembke's work ethic for the record-breaking effort.
"Angi is an example of a young lady who has worked her tail off," Bruggeman said. "She has worked very hard at conditioning and is confident in her jumps off the bases. She is fearless, she believes that she is going to be safe everytime. She broke Skeeter Nixon's record, who was another great runner in Purdue history."
Purdue recorded eight runs on five hits and two errors in the first inning to essentially put the game out of reach. Freshman Tricia Lilley launched a lead-off home run to left field, her 10th of the year to start the scoring. Roembke singled and stole second, before sophomore Andrea Hillsey was hit by pitch to join her on base. Sophomore Courtney Kovanis came in to pinch run for Hillsey and was then part of a double steal with Roembke. Heidi Foster occupied the recently vacated first base by way of a walk by starting pitching Ashley Condon. Jesse Jones hit into a fielder's choice but the defense could not make a play as Roembke slid into home. Andrea Roush hit a sacrifice fly to center field driving in Kovanis and moving the runners around. Freshman designated player Staci Falzon then pounded a two-run double into left field. Redshirt freshman Kristen Schell then singled to center to put runners at the corners for Angela Knight, who was then hit by Condon, to again load the bases. Lilley then hit a laser straight into the pitcher's glove, who dropped the ball, scoring Falzon for third and advancing the runners. Roembke reached again on a fielder's choice as the third baseman tagged Schell, then overthrew home, allowing Knight to score from second. Hillsey then tabbed an RBI single past the shortstop to end the scoring.
Eastern Illinois put two runners aboard in the second on an error and a hit-by-pitch, but a strikeout by pitcher Shelli Messer and a pair of ground outs got Purdue out of the inning unscathed.
The Boilermakers added another run in the second as a trio of singles off reliever Jen Green and a sacrifice bunt scored Jones who led off with a single to center. Roush bunted Jones to second, Falzon singled her to third and she scored on a Knight hit up the middle.
After the inning, Eastern Illinois put Condon back on the mound, but that would switch again in the fourth, as the original reliever Green came back in to finish the game.
Purdue made some defensive changes in the top of the fourth, putting junior Cheryl Buergler in left field, freshman Becky Stone in center, sophomore Katie Absher in right, freshman Lauren Devich at second base and switching freshman pitcher Diana LaRiva for Messer on the mound. The changes made no difference as the Boilermakers held the Panthers without a run the remainder of the game.
Stone made an offensive impact right away with a lead-off single to center field. Schell then doubled to right center scoring Stone, as the ball hit the wall just a few inches from home run territory. Lilley walked, then both runners advanced on a wild pitch, before a single up the middle by Buergler drove in Schell to cap the game.
LaRiva struck out two in the fifth and another popped out to Devich at second base to end the game.
Messer moved to 1-1 with the victory, while Condon dropped to 0-8. Purdue again tallied double-figure hits in the game and scored more than 10 runs for the ninth time this season.
The Boilermakers have a day off before facing No. 24 Iowa in Iowa City on Friday and Saturday.