Feb. 13, 2004
Chapel Hill, N.C. - The Purdue softball team opened the 2004 season with a 7-1 win over Temple this morning at the Triangle Classic tournament.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Boilermaker softball team opened itself 2004 campaign with a 7-1 win over Temple in the opening game of the Triangle Classic Friday.
"This was a great win," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "Our bats came out and we scored three runs in the first inning and I thought our offense was very strong throughout the game. Diana LaRiva was excellent on the mound. She kept their hitters off balance and in the rare instance she got into any trouble, she worked herself out of it. It was a nice way to start the year."
Purdue established an early 6-0 lead with a trio of runs in each of the opening two innings. Sophomore Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) kicked off the team's season with a double to right center. A Katie Absher (Jr., Puyallup, Wash.) sacrifice bunt put Lilley on third for junior Andrea Hillsey (White Lake, Mich.). Hillsey delivered on the RBI opportunity with a solid single to right, then stole second giving Purdue another runner in scoring position. Freshman DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) and junior Shelli Messer (Greenfield, Ind.) then knocked back-to-back doubles into the right center gap, to put Purdue up 3-0 after one.
After forcing the Owls to strand to runners in the top of the second, the Boilermaker scoring barrage continued. Senior Angela Knight was hit by a pitch with one out in the inning, then advanced to second on a passed ball. Lilley singled and another pass ball gave Purdue runners at second and third. Hillsey joined the duo aboard with a walk, bringing up Johnson with two outs and the bases full. Johnson launched a three-run double to center field to put the Boilermakers up 6-0. A ground out ended the inning.
After a quiet third inning, Temple put two runners on base via a Laura Gutscher double to left center and a hit by pitch, but could not convert it into a score as a fly out marked the end of the stanza.
The Boilermakers threatened once again in the bottom of the fourth. Lilley reached base via an error by the pitcher, but was caught stealing second for the inning's first out. Absher singled, then Hillsey and Johnson walked to load the bases. Messer put the ball in play and reached via fielder's choice when the Temple second baseman chose to throw home to keep Absher from scoring. Centerfielder Nicole Undercuffler made a sliding catch to thwarted the Boilermakers hopes of continuing the inning.
Temple finally got on the board with a one-run, three-hit effort in the sixth inning. Lynsey Grace single up the middle then moved to second on a passed ball. Gutscher singled to left to give the Owls two men aboard. Freshman Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) then registered her first collegiate strike out, taking Alexis Gary down swinging, after relieving starter Diana LaRiva (So., Tustin, Calif.). Designated player Makeala Compton then doubled to right to drive in Grace from second. A ground out and fly out got Purdue out of the inning.
A single run in the sixth capped the Boilermaker's winning effort. Absher walked to open the inning, then stole second. Messer came to the plate with two outs and doubled to right center, giving her the RBI, and advanced to third on an errant throw by the short stop looking to hold her at second. Purdue then grounded out sending it to the seventh and final inning.
The Owls popped up to first baseman Becky Stone and then grounded out to third, before extending their life when pinch hitter Melissa McCartney walked. Another ground out to third sealed the deal for Purdue.
Johnson went 2-for-3 with four RBI in her collegiate debut, while Messer went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Lilley also went to 2-for-4 with two runs in the contest.
LaRiva struck out seven and allowed just two hits in five innings of action en route to the win. Temple's Richelle Vilescas was charged with the loss after allowing six runs on six hits in the opening three innings Katherine White gave up just two hits in her three innings of relief.
The Boilermakers scored seven runs on eight hits with no errors, while Temple mustered its one run on five hits while committing two errors. Purdue improved its all-time record to 6-0 against the Owls, while garnering its third season-opening victory in the last six seasons.
Purdue is set to take on the Campbell Fighting Camels at 2:30 in their second game of the day before participating in bracket play for the remaining two days of the tournament.