March 5, 2004
CLEARWATER, Fla. - No. 22 South Florida (19-5) held the Boilermaker softball team to just two hits, en route to an 8-0 run-rule victory this afternoon.
The Bulls scored six runs in the first two innings to distance themselves from the Boilermakers, taking a lead they would never relinquish. The scoring started in the top of the first, when Carmela Liwag launched a two-run home run over the right center wall. The junior drove in Shelly Riker, who reached on a single to center. Tiffany Stewart then sent a two-out solo shot over the left field wall before a ground out ended the inning.
USF tacked on another trio of runs in the second on four hits. A Kattrina Dowd double drove in Samantha Ray, who reached on a bunt single. A sacrifice bunt moved Dowd to third, then a Liwag double to right brought her in to score. A wild pitch put Liwag on third and a Holly Groves single up the middle made it 6-0.
Purdue had its best chance to score in the bottom of the second. Redshirt sophomore Kristen Schell walked to open the stanza, then freshman Katie Fortune reached on an error by the shortstop. Junior Shelli Messer then took a pitch to the bicep to load the bases. A pair of pop ups and a fielder's choice, however, left all of the runner stranded.
The Bulls struck again in the fourth, pairing two hits with an error to make two more runs. Groves singled to right then stole second. The pitcher, Leigh Ann Ellis, then knocked a two-out single into center field, to drive in the first run. A fly ball dropped by the center fielder was deep enough to allow pinch runner Rachel Rosenbaum to make it home to cap the scoring.
The Boilermakers put runners aboard in each of the game's five innings, but could not convert them into tallies on the scoreboard. Senior Angela Knight recorded the team's only two hits of the game, with a bunt single in the first and a single to shortstop in the fifth.
Sophomore Diana LaRiva (5-3) was tabbed with the loss after one and two-thirds innings of work, while Ellis (13-3) pitched the complete game shutout for USF.
The Bulls scored eight runs on 12 hits, while committing three errors. The Boilermakers posted two hits, while recording one miscue.
Next up, the team (8-4) will play a 5 p.m. contest against Illinois-Chicago.