April 23, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Purdue managed just two hits and left five runners on base in its Friday contest with Michigan State, en route to a 3-0 loss. The Boilermakers look to get a win in the rematch slated for noon on Saturday.
The Boilermakers put a pair of runners on base in the first inning as senior Angela Knight and sophomore Tricia Lilley were both hit by pitches. The duo was left stranded by a pair of strikeouts that followed.
After sitting the Spartans down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning, Purdue managed to put a runner on third in the second stanza. Junior Shelli Messer singled up the middle to lead off the inning, but was caught at second on a Lauren Devich fielder's choice. Devich moved to third on a ground ball and a wild pitch, but the team couldn't convert as a strikeout ended the inning.
MSU scored first with an unearned run in the second. Brittney Green reached on an error by the shortstop, then moved to second on a Dayna Feenstra single to left field. Janette Hurtado then reached on another miscue by the shortstop, which allowed Green to score. Freshman Brooke Baker then struck out the next two batters looking to strand the remaining runners.
The Spartans used a trio of hits and a sacrifice bunt to tally two runs in the third. Nicole Mercado led off with a single to left center, then Jessica Beech joined her on base with a single to left. A Natalie Furrow sacrifice scooted the runners to second and third. Elizabeth Peterson converted on the RBI opportunity with a deep single to right, scoring both runs. A ground ball got Purdue out of the inning.
The Boilermakers tallied their second hit of the game when Knight sent a one-out single to right in the sixth. A strike out and pop up to the catcher kept the team from converting.
Knight and Messer tallied Purdue's hits, while Michigan State scored three runs on four hits and two Boilermaker miscues.
Beech (19-12) picked up the win after striking out eight Boilermakers in the complete game effort. Baker (14-9) took the loss after striking out seven for Purdue before being relieved by sophomore Diana LaRiva in the sixth inning.
The teams will meet for Game 2 of the series at noon on Saturday.