March 24, 2004
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker softball team turned the tables on Valparaiso in Game 2 of Wednesday's twin bill, handing the Crusaders an 8-0 mercy-rule loss. Purdue tallied 10 hits in the game, while freshman pitcher Brooke Baker allowed just one hit in the contest. The team returns to action Saturday, when the IPFW Mastodons come to town for a noon doubleheader.
"In this game, we had some better swings and put the ball in play," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "Brooke Baker threw an outstanding game, pitching the one-hitter. Katie Absher came to play today; she was our spark plug. She found some holes in their defense and was probably our offensive player of the day."
The Boilermakers got on the board when sophomore Lauren Devich launched her first career home run, a no-doubt solo shot over the left field wall with one out in the second. Redshirt sophomore Kristen Schell followed with a single to right field but a pair of fly balls left her stranded.
"Lauren had probably one of the best hit balls of the day," Bruggeman said. "She had full extension and drove the ball well. We needed our hitters to step up and she did what we needed her to do today."
Purdue added four more runs in the third on four hits and a Crusader error. Absher led things off with a single into left field, then advanced to second on a Staci Falzon bloop single into center field. Junior Shelli Messer sent another single into left center to fill the bases with one out. Devich made good on the RBI opportunity, sending a two-out double into right field, scoring Falzon and Absher. With runners at second and third, Schell reached on an errant throw by the shortstop, bringing both Messer and Devich home. A ground ball ended the rally.
After taking the Crusaders down in order in the fourth, fifth and sixth, the Boilermakers wrapped up the game via run-rule, tacking on three runs in the bottom of the sixth to clinch the 8-0 victory.
Relief pitcher Brittany Atteberry came in to face Schell to open the stanza and put her aboard via walk. Freshman Katie Fortune then took advantage of an error by the first baseman to reach and bump pinch runner Cheryl Buergler to second. A ground ball moved the runners into scoring position. Absher reached on a fielder's choice. Buergler was out at the plate on the play, but Fortune scored as Valparaiso looked to keep Absher from advancing to second. With two outs, sophomore Tricia Lilley singled through the left side, extending her current hit streak to eight games and driving in Absher. Falzon then singled up the middle, scoring Lilley to seal the win.
Freshman Brooke Baker (11-2) struck out six en route to the one-hitter, while Ashlee Blankenbaker (1-3) was charged was the loss after giving up five runs in five innings of work.
Falzon went 3-for-4 in the game, while Devich and Absher each posted two hits in the contest.
The Boilermakers return to action on Saturday for a noon doubleheader against the IPFW Mastodons.