March 4, 2004
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The bases were loaded, there were two outs and the count was full. One pitch would decide the fate of an extra-inning dual which featured a combined 17 strikeouts. The showdown between Mississippi freshman pitcher Mary Jane Callahan and Purdue's junior All-American Andrea Hillsey ended with the umpire calling ball four and in turn giving the Boilermakers the 2-1 victory in the bottom of the eighth. The walk was the first of the game for Callahan, but was the most significant play of the night.
"We did something we haven't done in a long time and that is come from behind in the late innings," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "We just had some key performances: Erika Peterson with the game-tying RBI and a host of players that contributed in their own way to keep the rally going. Then, of course, for our All-American to draw a bases loaded walk was a really fun to end the game. It was a very exciting game, a very well played game both teams. You hate to see any team lose that game, but I am very proud of our team for never giving up. It doesn't get any better than coming from behind in the bottom of the eighth with a two-out rally to win the game."
The teams played to a 0-0 stalemate through seven innings, as Callahan struck out eight Boilermakers, while allowing just two hits, and sophomore Diana LaRiva mowed down seven Rebels, while surrendering just three hits.
"It was a total pitcher's dual," Bruggeman said. "These were two of the most well pitched games I have seen during the 2004 season. The Ole Miss pitcher just really hit her spots well, kept us off balance and off guard, and had big strikeouts when she needed. She is a very, very talented pitcher. On our side, Diana probably pitched one of her best games of the year. She threw a three hitter, had eight strikeouts and whenever they got anything going, she found a way to shut them down."
Desiree Layman was placed on second base to start the eight inning as part of the international tie breaker rule. Callahan then came to bat, putting down a sacrifice bunt which advanced Layman to third. DeDe Justice then launched a sacrifice fly into right field, which was enough to put Ole Miss on the board. LaRiva registered her eighth K of the game to end the inning.
Sophomore Staci Falzon was placed on second and followed suit advancing to third on a Shelli Messer sacrifice bunt. Freshman Erika Peterson then singled through the right side to tie the game. Junior Katie Absher used her speed to make base safely on a perfectly placed bunt, moving Peterson to second. Sophomore Tricia Lilley singled to the third baseman, but pinch runner Catherine Zaworski slid in under the tag to load the bases. A strikeout, brought up Hillsey with two outs and the game on the line. Then came the fateful pitch, which gave Purdue the win.
LaRiva move to 5-2 on the year with the victory, while Callahan, who struck out nine and walked just one, dropped to 1-7. Four batters tallied hits for the Boilermakers, led by Peterson's 2-for-3 outing.
The international tie breaker rule places the batter who tallied the third out of the previous inning on second base to begin each extra inning stanza.
Purdue returns to action at 11 a.m. Friday, when it takes on No. 22 South Florida.