April 24, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Purdue softball team found their bats on Saturday, posting 14 hits in a five-inning run rule victory over Michigan State. With the 11-1 win, the Boilermakers posted their third conference victory and split the season series with the Spartans. Purdue returns to action at noon on Sunday for a doubleheader at Northwestern.
The Boilermakers started the game's scoring with four runs in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Staci Falzon led off with a single up the middle, then moved to second on a wild pitch. Senior Angela Knight followed with a single through the left side, scooting Falzon to third. A pass ball advanced both runners, bring Falzon in to score the team's first run. The Spartans walked sophomore Tricia Lilley, giving the team runners at first and third with no outs. Lilley then stole second, before Erika Peterson sent a single over the head of the second baseman, driving in Knight and moving Lilley to third. Peterson then swiped second, allowing Lilley to score on an error by the shortstop. Sophomore Lauren Devich then tallied a one-out RBI double to center field, before a pair of pop ups wrapped up the inning.
The Spartans put two runners aboard in the second, but couldn't convert them into runs. Brittney Green led off with a single up the right field line, then moved to second as Dayna Feenstra walked. Janette Hurtado then hit into a fielder's choice, which saw Green punched out at third. A strike out and a caught foul ball got the Boilermakers out of the inning without any damage.
Purdue tacked on four more runs in the second, while batting around. Freshman Katie Fortune started things off with a single to short left field. Pinch runner Jamie Dum then stole second and scored on a Falzon double to center. Jessica Beech took the mound in relief, before Falzon advanced to third on a bunt single by Knight. Lilley then reached on an error by the second baseman. The miscue scored Falzon, then Knight scored on an errant throw by the right fielder, who was trying to salvage the play. Lilley, who wound up at second on the play, moved to third on a wild pitch, before coming home on a Peterson single to left. Junior Shelli Messer then reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. The play prompted another MSU pitching change as Beech returned to her spot in left field and Jackie Noble came in to pitch. Noble walked one and got the two others to fly out to end the rally.
Michigan State finally got on the board in the third with an unearned run. Natalie Furrow reached on an error by the shortstop, then came in to score on a pair of walks a hit by pitch. Freshman Brooke Baker took over on the mound and got the Spartans to hit into a fielder's choice to hold the team to just one run.
The Boilermakers padded their lead with a trio of runs on five hits in the bottom of the inning. Fortune led off with a double up the left line, then moved to third on a Falzon single up the middle. Knight followed with a single to left, scoring Fortune, but was called out at second trying to stretch the hit into a double. Lilley then sent a two-run shot over the left field wall, prompting MSU to bring starting pitcher Christy McGrew back to the mound. After allowing Peterson a single, McGrew got the next to batter to fly out to get out of the inning.
Both teams put a pair of runners on in the fourth, but couldn't manage to turn them into runs. The Spartans managed to put Feenstra on base in the fifth with a two-out walk, but a fielder's choice saw her punched out at second to end the game via mercy rule.
Purdue scored 11 runs on 14 hits as Falzon, Peterson and Fortune went 3-for-3 at the plate and Knight added a 3-for-4 performance. Baker (15-9) picked up the win after two and one-third innings of relief, while McGrew (4-3) was charged with the loss for the Spartans.
The Boilermakers return to action on Sunday for a noon doubleheader with Northwestern.