Feb. 27, 2005
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Sophomore Katie Fortune accounted for four of Purdue's five runs in the team's 5-4 victory over Bowling Green on Day 3 of the Frost Classic. Fortune launched two home runs, the first of her career, marking the ninth time a batter has done so in a game in school history. The Boilermakers put up five runs on 10 hits in the contest.
Bowling Green picked up its first hit on a Gina Rango single to short, despite a valiant fielding effort by junior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio), but pitcher Diana LaRiva (Tustin, Calif.) struck out the next batter to get Purdue out of the inning unscathed.
Purdue was the first to break onto the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the second inning. The Boilermakers got a baserunner as sophomore DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) reached on a dropped third strike. A fielder's choice put Lilley on first with one out. After a ground ball and a wild pitch moved Lilley to third, sophomore Katie Fortune (Kingwood, Texas) made good on the RBI opportunity with her first career home run, a shot over the left field fence.
The Boilermakers tacked on another run with a two-out rally in the fifth. Junior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.) started things off with a single up the middle. Senior Katie Absher (Puyallup, Wash.) followed with an infield single. Senior Andrea Hillsey (White Lake, Mich.) singled to short, allowing Falzon to score from second and moving Absher over. A fielder's choice kept Purdue from adding any more runs.
The Falcons tallied one run on two hits in the bottom of the inning. Emmy Ramsey drew a lead-off walk, then moved to second on a Jeanine Baca single through the left side. Megan McPherson walked to load the bases, then Rango singled to short center to drive in the run. A fielder's choice, an interference call and a strikeout got Purdue out of the jam.
Fortune gave Purdue a 5-1 lead with another two-run shot in the sixth inning. The dinger to dead-on centerfield bounced off the top of the centerfielder's glove and over the fence, making the ninth-time in Boilermaker history a player has hit two home runs in the same contest. Fortune's home run scored senior Shelli Messer (Greenfield, Ind.), who walked. Sophomore Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) followed with a single up the middle but a line drive to the pitcher ended the inning.
Bowling Green managed another run in the seventh, but it was not enough. Rango reached on a single to left field, then moved to second on a ground ball. An Allison Vallas single up the middle scooted Rango to third, before a wild pitch scored her. A pair of ground outs sealed the Purdue win.
Fortune led the Boilermaker bats, going 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs. Eight other Purdue players registered a base hit.
Junior Diana LaRiva (Tustin, Calif.) earned the victory, striking out three and not allowing a run in four innings of work. Sophomore Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) picked up the save after throwing the final three innings. Lindsay Heimrich was saddled with the loss for Bowling Green.
The Boilermakers hope to wrap up the tournament with a victory over Tennessee Tech at 3:15 p.m.