Feb. 19, 2005
LAFAYETTE, La. - A seventh-inning home run kept the Boilermakers from an upset of No. 5 Louisiana-Lafayette in Day 2 action at the Louisiana Classic on Saturday. Sophomore Katie Fortune posted the lone hit of the contest for Purdue.
Purdue got the first base runner of the game in the bottom of the first as junior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.) picked up a lead-off walk. A trio of strikeouts kept her from making her way around the basepaths.
The Ragin' Cajuns threatened in the third, loading the bases with two outs, but were unable to convert. Jill Robertson hit a dribbler toward second base for a two-out single, then Danyele Gomez followed with a single to deep centerfield. Gomez advanced to second on the throw to keep Robertson at third, then Brittany Bryant walked to fill the bases. Pitcher Brooke Baker got Joy Webre to fly out to center field to get herself out of the jam.
Louisiana-Lafayette loaded the bases again in the fourth, but junior Diana LaRiva entered the game in relief and forced a double-play to end the inning without damage. Lacey Bertucci singled to left to start things off, then Tara Hamilton and Crystal George reached base via walk. Pinch hitter Deserea Griffin then lined out to first baseman Katie Fortune, who stepped on the bag or the second out, catching George away from the bag.
UL broke onto the scoreboard in the fifth with an RBI double by Bryant. Robertson drew the lead off walk, then stole second to set up Bryant's one-out hit to center field. Webre and Bertucci walked to load the bases, prompting Purdue to reenter starting pitcher Brooke Baker. Baker got the next two batters to pop out and ground out to escape the inning.
The Boilermakers answered in the bottom of the inning with one run on a walk, a hit by pitch, a passed ball and three stolen bases. Redshirt junior Kristen Schell (San Diego, Calif.) took a one-out walk, then pinch runner Ashley Hall stole second. Senior Shelli Messer (Greenfield, Ind.) then reached on a passed ball on a dropped third strike, then Hall moved to third on an error by the shortstop on the play. Messer and Hall pulled off the double steal to tie the game at 1-1. Sophomore Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) took one for the team, earning first base after being hit in the foot. A pair of strikeouts, however, kept Purdue from taking the lead.
The Cajuns left two more runners on in the sixth after a pair of two-out singles. Robertson singled up the middle then Gomez followed with a single through the left side. Sophomore DaQueta Johnson made a sliding grab along the right field line to wrap up the inning.
Purdue picked up its first hit of the game on a two-out gapper by sophomore Katie Fortune (Kingwood, Texas). Pinch runner Jamie Dum (Indianapolis, Ind.) was left stranded by a high fly ball to center.
Louisiana-Lafayette regained the lead with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh. Webre started the inning with a double to right field, then score on the long ball by Bertucci. The Boilermakers had one last shot for the upset in the bottom of the seventh, but pitcher Brooke Mitchell struck out two and catcher Joy Webre snagged a foul ball to seal the UL victory.
Fortune posted the lone hit of the game for Purdue, while six players reached base. UL scored three runs on eight hits and one error.
Mitchell struck out 14 in the winning effort, while Baker (3-2) struck out two in six innings of work.
"I am proud of the way that our team battled against the No. 5 team in the country," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "Brooke Mitchell is a first team All-American for a reason. We just needed a few more timely hits and we certainly could have come out on top. Our pitching and defense were very solid. We are looking forward to playing them again tomorrow."
The Boilermakers look to bounce back from the loss in their 8 p.m. contest against Mississippi Valley State.