March 13, 2004
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - No. 22 Arizona State used power hitting en route to dealing the Boilermakers a 4-0 loss Saturday afternoon in the team's third game of the National Invitational Softball Tournament. Purdue will look to bounce back against conference foe Wisconsin at 2 p.m.
I was very pleased with our approach to the game," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "I don't know how many runners we left on base, but we had plenty of opportunities to score against a very, very good Arizona State team. Really, three swings of the bat beat us. We tried to pitch around their All-American, but she still found a way to hit the ball over the fence. I give them a lot of credit because they hit some really good pitches. We competed hard, and if we could have gotten a few more RBI, we would have been right back in the game."
The Boilermakers had the first chance to score with bases loaded in the top of the second. Junior Shelli Messer started things off with a one-out single through the right side. Freshmen Katie Fortune and Erika Peterson joined her on board with a back-to-back walks. Senior Cheryl Buergler reached on a fielder's choice, but the Sun Devils punched out Messer at home on the play. A ground out left all three runners stranded.
Arizona State got its first hit in the third with a two-out double into center field, but a pop up ended the inning.
The Sun Devils broke onto the scoreboard in the fourth when Phalen Wright launched a two-out home run over the fence in right center field. Keri Pulcifer followed with a single up the middle, but a fly ball marked the inning's third out.
Purdue tried to answered in the fifth as Peterson sent a lead-off double over the head of the ASU center fielder. Pinch runner Jaime Dum then advanced to third on a wild pitch. A strike out and two pop ups kept the team from converting.
Another home run, this time a lead-off shot to left by pitcher/first baseman Ashley Werschky put ASU up 2-0. Kristin Farber then hit a two-out single to short and stole second and third, but a grounder to first kept her from coming home.
Junior Andrea Hillsey gave Purdue a base runner in the sixth with a solid single into center field, but the Boilermakers couldn't bring her around.
Val Sevilla led off ASU's half of the sixth with a single up the first base line. Wright followed with a deep fly ball to the center field fence, which after much discussion was ruled a home run. A pair of strike outs and a caught foul ball got Purdue out of the inning.
The Boilermakers had one last chance in the top of the seventh. Sophomore Becky Stone picked up the pinch-hit walk to open the inning. Buergler then notched a one-out single that dropped into right center field. A fielder's choice put senior Angela Knight aboard, but got pinch runner Staci Falzon out at third. A Katie Absher walk kept the rally going, bringing up Tricia Lilley with the bases loaded. Relief pitch Desiree Serrano then dealt her seventh strike out of the game to seal the ASU win.
Arizona State scored four runs on seven hits, while four different Boilermakers managed hits in the game.
Serrano (12-3) picked up the win, striking out seven in five innings of relief, while sophomore Diana LaRiva (5-6) was charged with the loss after striking out five in the complete game effort.
The Boilermakers (11-7) return to action when they face conference foe Wisconsin in a 2 p.m. matchup.