March 19, 2005
RALEIGH, N.C. - Two fifth-inning runs was all Purdue needed behind the outstanding pitching effort by freshman Melissa Burns in order to defeat the Fairfield softball team on Day 2 of the Wolfpack Challenge on Saturday. The Boilermakers (17-11) by virtue of tie-breaking procedures will be deemed the one-seed of the tournament, which will give the team a bye until Sunday at noon.
Purdue tallied a 3-0 record in pool play, while giving up just one run. Tie-breaking procedures are record, head to head competition then runs allowed. All other possible 3-0 teams have given up more than one run, making Purdue the tournament's No. 1 seed.
The Boilermakers put a runner on in the bottom of the first as senior Andrea Hillsey (White Lake, Mich.) was hit by a pitch with two outs. Hillsey stole second, but was left stranded by a ground ball to short.
Erin Frank led off the second inning with a walk for Fairfield, but a pair of strikeouts and a pop up kept her from advancing around the bases.
Junior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) picked up a lead-off walk, then moved to second on a sacrifice by sophomore Katie Fortune (Kingwood, Texas). A pop up accounted for the second out, then Lilley was caught leaving second early to end the inning.
The Stags tallied the first hit of the game in the third inning on a Riannon Thomas singled to short center field. Thomas moved to second on a sacrifice, but a pair of Melissa Burns' Ks kept her from scoring.
Purdue posted its first hit in the bottom of the fourth as senior Katie Absher (Puyallup, Wash.) dropped a single just in front of second base. A ground ball resulted in a double play before a fly ball to right ended the stanza.
Fairfield put another runner in scoring position in the fifth. Molly Harris sent a one-out single up the middle, then was sacrificed over to second. A ground ball to the shortstop left her on base.
The Boilermakers broke through the scoreless stalemate with a pair of runs on two hits in the bottom of the fifth. Lilley led off with a single to right, then Fortune sacrificed her over to second. Redshirt junior Kristen Schell was then hit by a pitch. Lilley and pinch runner Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) moved into scoring position on a ground ball. Junior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.) filled the opening at first base as she took a pitch to the back. Senior Shelli Messer (Greenfield, Ind.) made good on the RBI opportunity with a single through the right side, which scored two runs. Messer went to second on the throw home, putting runners at second and third. A pop up ended the rally.
The Stags registered two hits in the sixth, but could not convert them into runs. Julia Jacoby sent a one-out single into right field, then Cagney Ringnalda followed with a sharp hit up the middle. A looking strikeout and a fly ball to left kept Fairfield off the scoreboard.
Sophomore DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) and Lilley tallied back to back one-out singles to start off Purdue's half of the sixth. A double play ended the inning.
Fairfield went down 1-2-3 on a strike out, a ground ball and a pop up to seal the Purdue victory.
Lilley led the Purdue bats with a 2-for-2 day at the plate. Messer, Absher and Johnson tallied the Boilermakers other three hits. Fairfield posted four hits in the effort.
Freshman Melissa Burns (Miami, Fla.) struck out 10 in the complete game shutout effort. Tracy Sylvestre (4-2) was charged with the loss after tossing all six innings for the Stags.
"Once again our pitching and defense kept us in the game until our offense could win it.," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "We are struggling to hit the ball like we can. Hopefully, we will be able to break it open in the next game we play. Shelli Messer had a great day, coming through with a big two-out, two run RBI. On the mound, Melissa Burns was in complete command of the game."
The Boilermakers will return to action at noon on Sunday against an undetermined opponent.