March 17, 2004
MORAGA, Calif. - The Boilermaker softball rebounded from a disappointing first game in Moraga, to defeat the host Saint Mary's Gaels 6-0 in their second battle of the day. Purdue scored six runs on 10 hits, while playing error free defense, while shutting out the Gaels, despite giving up eight hits. The team is set to travel to Sacramento for the Capital Classic this weekend.
"We bounced back very well against Saint Mary's," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "Diana pitched a great game in the shutout, and we had some timely hits, which we didn't have a lot of in our first game against Nevada. I am most proud of the fact that we bounced back and got the W. Now, our goal going into Sacramento is to find some consistency and be the same team day in and day out."
Purdue scored first with four runs on three hits and an error in the second inning. The Gaels walked redshirt sophomore Kristen Schell to start things off, then sophomore Staci Falzon singled up the middle to move pinch runner Jamie Dum to second. Junior Shelli Messer hit into a fielder's choice, but the shortstop dropped the ball while trying to get Dum out at third. SMC then walked senior Angela Knight, putting the Boilermakers on the board as Dum scored. Freshman Katie Fortune was then hit by a pitch, driving Falzon in from third. Junior Andrea Hillsey then put a one-out single into right center, scoring Messer. Junior Katie Absher then hit into a fielder's choice as the Gaels stopped Knight at home. Sophomore Tricia Lilley kept the rally going with a single up the middle, which brought Fortune in from third. A pop up ended the inning.
Sophomore Becky Stone kicked off the fourth inning, getting on base on an error by the shortstop. Erika Peterson then singled up the third baseline and advanced to second on a fielding error by the left fielder, moving Stone to third. Hillsey then made good on the RBI opportunity, sending a single into right center driving in Stone. A pair of ground balls and a fly out wrapped up the stanza.
The Boilermakers added another run in the fifth on a pair of hits and an error. Falzon doubled to left to start things off. Messer then reached on an errant throw by the third baseman, giving Purdue runners at the corners. A ground ball moved Messer to second, before an Erika Peterson double sent her to third, while scoring Falzon. Messer tried to score on the play, but was called out at the plate.
Purdue put three runners aboard in the sixth, but could not convert them into runs. Absher hit a one-out single to the shortstop, then Lilley followed with a single up the middle. Schell reached on an error by the second baseman, filling the bases, but a pair of fly balls to left field kept the Boilermakers from scoring.
The Boilermakers scored six runs on 10 hits and five Gael errors, while Saint Mary's was scoreless despite eight hits. Sophomore Diana LaRiva (6-6) picked up the win for the complete game shutout, while Jennifer Eaton was charged with the loss.
Falzon led the Purdue bats, going 3-for-4 with two runs, while Peterson, Hillsey and Lilley each added a pair of base hits to the effort.
Bruggeman said the team's first game of the day was a struggle throughout.
"It was unlike anything I've ever witnessed at Purdue," she said. "We just could not get on track and did not play very good defense. We still found a way to score six runs to get back in the ball game, but it just was not typical of our Purdue defense."
The Boilermakers look to build on their 14-8 record at the Capital Classic in Sacramento, Calif., this weekend, where the team is set to take on Pittsburgh, Sacramento State, Utah State, Saint Mary's and Tennessee State.