May 9, 2004
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker softball team capped their 2004 season with a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over the Indiana Hoosiers on Senior Day. Purdue scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh, with the game-winner coming on a pinch-hit single by sophomore Becky Stone.
Indiana threatened in the opening stanza, putting two runners aboard on a pair of singles, but could not convert them into runs. Abby Stark led off with a single up the middle, then Kim Richards followed with a single through the right side, but two fly balls and a looking strikeout kept the Hoosiers from scoring.
Purdue duplicated the effort in the bottom of the inning with two hits and two left on. Sophomore Staci Falzon led off with a single up the middle, then stole second. Senior Angela Knight then sent a single into left field, before advancing to second on the throw, as Falzon moved to third. A caught foul and ground out into a double play, left Erika Peterson, who reached on a fielder's choice and Knight stranded.
The Hoosiers broke onto the scoreboard in the third with a two-out solo home run by Tory Yamaguchi.
The Boilermakers had another scoring opportunity in the third but could not turn it into runs. Senior Cheryl Buergler led off with a single through the right side. Falzon then reached on a fielder's choice, which saw Buergler out at second. Knight then picked up a bunt single to join Falzon on base. A strikeout and fly ball to right ended the stanza.
Purdue again put two runners on in the fourth, but could not convert. Freshman DaQueta Johnson started the inning with a single up the middle, then junior Shelli Messer was walked, bumping pinch runner Katie Absher to second. A sacrifice bunt by Lauren Devich put both runners in scoring position. Relief pitcher Megan Roark then struck out the next two Boilermakers to end the inning.
The Boilermakers snagged the Senior Day victory with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh. Falzon tallied a one-out single to second base, then moved to second as the second baseman threw the ball into the dugout aiming for first. Knight then sent a long fly ball into right center, which dropped at the base of the wall, allowing Falzon to score to tie the game. Sophomore Tricia Lilley was hit by a pitch, then freshman Erika Peterson reached on a fielder's choice, which saw Knight out at third. Stone came in to pinch hit and delivered the game-winning RBI with a single down the right field line, which scored Lilley from second.
Knight led the team with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate in her final game as a Boilermaker. Falzon added two of Purdue's nine hits, which produced two runs. Indiana managed one run on eight hits, while committing one error.
Sophomore Diana LaRiva earned the complete-game win for Purdue, striking out four in the effort, boosting her single-season record tally to 196. Relief pitcher Megan Roark was tabbed for the loss after putting both of Purdue's runners on in the seventh.
The Boilermakers end the season 32-25, 5-14 in the Big Ten, while Indiana wraps up the year 32-31 and 7-13 in the conference.