March 31, 2004
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - After a day's delay and a change of venue, the Boilermaker softball team finally faced the Butler Bulldogs and came out with a 7-1 win despite a rain-shortened game.
Purdue posted two of its eight hits in the opening stanza as senior Angela Knight posted a lead-off single to left field and sophomore Tricia Lilley followed with a one-out single through the left side. A fly out and a failed steal attempt left Knight stranded at third.
Butler scored its first and only run of the game in the bottom of the inning. JoAnna Gonzalez started things off with a single up the middle, then moved to second on an Angie Johnson single to the shortstop. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position for Jamie Bradley, who delivered on the RBI opportunity with a single up the middle. A ground out and strike out left two runners on the pond.
The Boilermakers evened the score in the second combining two hits and an error for a tally. Junior Shelli Messer led off with a single to the shortstop, then moved to second on an Erika Peterson sacrifice. Redshirt sophomore Kristen Schell then reached base on an error by the first baseman, which allowed Messer to score from second. Freshman Katie Fortune then singled to right center, bumping Schell around to third. Fortune then snagged her first career stolen base, before a ground out ended the inning.
Purdue tacked on another pair of runs in the third as sophomore Staci Falzon launched her first career home run. Falzon sent a one-out shot over the center field wall, scoring Lilley, who had reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. A pair of ground outs wrapped up the stanza.
The Bulldogs threatened in the bottom of the inning, putting three runners on base on a single and two walks, but a pop up, strike out and line out, kept the team's run tally at one.
The Boilermakers capped the scoring with four runs in the fourth. Sophomore Lauren Devich reached on an error by the shortstop, then advanced to second on a sacrifice by Schell. Fortune then reached on a fielder's choice, as the Bulldogs got Devich at second. Knight walked, moving Fortune to second, bringing pinch hitter Cheryl Buergler to the plate. The senior made good on her plate appearance, sending a single into left field, scoring Fortune. Lilley then cleared the bases with a home run over the center field wall. A ground out ended the rally.
Purdue got another base runner in the fifth as Devich posted a two-out single to short. She then stole second, but was left aboard after a ground out.
The Boilermakers came to bat in the sixth and posted two runs on three hits, before hail and heavy rain caused the umpires to call the game. Due to the stoppage, only the stats from completed innings are counted in the record books, thus the game ended with a 7-1 Boilermaker victory.
Lilley led the Purdue bats, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs. Six other Boilermaker supplied hits in the contest. Purdue scored seven runs on eight hits, while committing one error, while the Bulldogs posted one run on four hits, while committing three errors.
"It was a good team effort," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "We had some big hits at key times, with the two home runs and Cheryl Buergler's pinch hit RBI single. Those really broke the game open for us. It was good that we were able to get the game in and play another in-state opponent."
Freshman Brooke Baker (13-2) picked up the win, after striking out four in the complete game effort, while Meghan Howard (1-6) was charged with the loss.
The Boilermakers return to action Thursday, when they travel to Muncie, Ind., for a 2 p.m. doubleheader with Ball State.