March 20, 2004
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Boilermaker softball team scored eight runs on 10 hits, while playing perfect defense en route to an 8-0 run-rule win over Saint Mary's (CA) Saturday morning. Freshman pitcher Brooke Baker allowed just two hits, while facing only 16 batters in the contest. Purdue finishes day two action at the Capital Classic with a 3 p.m. meeting with Utah State.
"This was one of our best complete games of the year," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "Brooke Baker was just outstanding; she had them off-balance the entire day and she set the tone for our entire defense. Our defense was sharp with no errors and offensively we hit through the lineup and just made things happen. By far, our best hitter in the game was Erika Peterson with a two-run home run and a three run double. She is swinging a great bat for us right now. It was a great team win for us."
The Boilermakers scored first with a single run in the opening stanza. Junior Shelli Messer notched a lead-off double to left field, then advanced to third on a ground ball. Sophomore Tricia Lilley then doubled up the middle, bringing Messer in to score. A pop up and strike out kept Lilley from scoring.
Purdue tacked on two more runs in the fourth. Junior Andrea Hillsey led off with a single into left field, then stole second. Redshirt sophomore Kristen Schell drew a one-out walk and Hillsey advanced to third on the wild pitch which put Schell on base. Pinch runner Jamie Dum was caught stealing, before freshman Erika Peterson launched her second career home run in as many days, sending a shot over the right field fence. Sophomore Becky Stone singled but was caught stealing to end the inning.
"I was just seeing the ball well today and looking for a good pitch to hit," Peterson said. "We have been working on fixing things at the plate and seeing the ball a lot better and I did today. You can't get RBI without people on base and our team did a good job of that. Everyone was hitting and getting on base."
The Gaels snapped the no-hitter in the fourth with a Michelle Mathis single up the middle, but pinch runner Jordann Bass was called out on a fielder's choice just moments later. Marcia-Marie Euker, who reached on the fielder's choice, was caught stealing for the inning's second out, then a ground ball wrapped up the stanza.
The Boilermakers padded their lead with five runs in the top of the fifth. Junior Katie Absher led off with a single to short, then advanced on a Messer sac bunt. Senior Angela Knight then singled to short and Lilley followed with a single to left to load the bases. Sophomore Staci Falzon reached on a fielding error by the second baseman, which allowed Absher to score. Pitcher Lisa Bautista then walked Schell to bring in another run. Peterson then made good on the RBI opportunity, doubling off the left field fence to score all three runners. Relief pitcher Lauren Gardner got Purdue to pop out for the inning's third out.
Saint Mary's tried to avoid the run-rule loss in the bottom of the inning as Jenn Arnold posted a lead-off single to left. A fielder's choice stopped pinch runner Beverly Rivas at second, then another fielder's choice stopped Lauren Mello from advancing to second. Freshman Brooke Baker struck out Justine Larsen to seal the win for Purdue.
Baker (9-2) struck out four Gaels in the complete game victory, while Bautista (3-6) was charged with the loss. Peterson went 2-for-3 in the game with five RBI, while Knight and Lilley each posted a pair of hits as the Boilermakers scored eight runs on 10 hits, while allowing just two hits.
The Boilermakers (16-9) return to action at 3 p.m., when they take on the Utah State Aggies.