Feb. 18, 2005
LAFAYETTE, La. - The Purdue softball team kicked off its appearance at the 19th-annual Louisiana Classic with a 6-1 victory over Nicholls State. Eight Boilermakers posted hits in the win, which moved the team to 4-1 on the season and earned sophomore Brooke Baker her third win of the season on the hill.
The Boilermakers wasted no time in flexing their offensive muscles as junior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.) sent a lead-off triple to right center. Senior Andrea Hillsey (White Lake, Mich.) drove in the game's first run with a one-out double to left center. Sophomore DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) joined Hillsey on base when she was hit by pitcher Nichole Wagner. Junior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) scooted Hillsey to third with a fielder's choice, then stole second allowing her to score. The inning ended as the umpire called Lilley for leaving base early on a pitch.
Purdue put two runners aboard in the third inning on a lead-off walk and an intentional walk. Senior Katie Absher (Puyallup, Wash.) drew the lead-off base, then moved to second on a sacrifice. The Lady Colonels then intentionally walked Hillsey, putting runners at first and second. A fly ball into the outfield stranded both.
The Boilermakers combined two hits and a sacrifice to tack on another run in the fourth. Lilley starting things off with a lead-off single into short right field, then advanced to second on a sacrifice by senior Shelli Messer (Greenfield, Ind.). Sophomore Katie Fortune (Kingwood, Texas) then singled to center field and moved to second as Nicholls State unsuccessfully threw home attempting to stop Lilley from scoring. A fly ball to left field ended the rally.
A sacrifice fly drove in another Purdue run in the fifth. Falzon walked to start the inning, then freshman Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) singled up the middle. Hillsey singled to center to load the bases for Johnson, who made good on the RBI opportunity with the sac fly to center. Two more fly balls ended the stanza.
Nicholls State broke onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth with a single run on two hits. Relief pitcher Melissa Burns hit Amy Thibodeaux to give NSU a base runner with one out. Jennifer Campbell then single up the left line to put runners at first and second for Teri Clouatre. Clouatre then singled to center, scoring Thibodeaux, and then advanced to second on the throw. A fly ball and a strike out stopped the Lady Colonels from scoring again.
Purdue threatened again in the sixth as Fortune bounced a one-out single off the wall in left center. A passed ball moved pinch runner Jamie Dum (Indianapolis, Ind.) to second, then a single by Absher scooted her to third. Absher stole second to put two runners in scoring position. A pair of infield pop-ups kept Purdue off the score board.
The Boilermakers made it 5-1 on a two-out chopper up the middle by Messer. Hillsey walked to open the inning, then moved to second on a sacrifice. Messer then hit the chopper to add to the Purdue lead. Sophomore Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) then sent a blooper just inside the right field line for a single, while sent Messer to third. Fortune then singled through the left side to drive in another run, before a pop-up ended the inning.
Fortune led the Purdue offense going 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Hillsey was 2-for-2 with two runs, one RBI and two walks. Eight Boilermakers accounted for the team's 11 hits, while Purdue limited Nicholls State to one run.
Sophomore Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) moved to 3-1 on the season with the victory, while Burns picked up the save, her second of the year, striking out three in three innings of work. Nichole Wagner was charged with the loss for the Lady Colonels.
Purdue returns to action at 2:30 p.m. against Mississippi Valley State.