April 8, 2005
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The Boilermaker softball team suffered its first conference loss of the season as the Iowa Hawkeyes edged Purdue 3-2 on Friday. Senior Shelli Messer led Purdue at the plate with a pair of hits as five players got in on the offensive action. The Boilermakers look to rebound in a rematch at noon on Saturday.
Senior Andrea Hillsey (White Lake, Mich.) tallied the first hit of the game with a two-out single up the middle in the opening stanza. A strikeout left her stranded at first.
The Hawkeyes put two runners aboard in the bottom of the inning. Stacy May sent a one-out single up the middle, then Kylie Murray singled to right with two outs. A fly ball kept the game scoreless.
The Boilermakers used two sacrifices and a hit to break onto the scoreboard in the second. Junior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) started the inning with a double that landed just inside the right field line. Sophomore Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) moved her to third with a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Katie Fortune (Kingwood, Texas) then laid down the squeeze bunt to score Lilley and wound up safe at first on the throw home. Another fielder's choice put junior Lauren Devich (Bloomington, Ind.) on first, as the Hawkeyes put pinch runner Jamie Dum (Indianapolis, Ind.) out at second. A strikeout accounted for the inning's final out.
Iowa tried to follow suit by scoring in the bottom of the inning, but a head's up defensive play by Lilley kept the Boilermaker shutout going. Abby Ruff drew a lead-off walk, then moved to second on a ground ball to the pitcher. She then stole third before being thrown out by Lilley as Brandi Sargent hit into the fielder's choice. A ground ball ended the inning.
Senior Shelli Messer (Greenfield, Ind.) led off the third with a double to left center, but was left stranded by a ground out, pop up and strikeout.
The Hawkeyes threatened again in the third, but couldn't manage a run. Summer Downs led off with a single to short right field, then May followed with a single to left. A passed ball put both runners in scoring position. Messer stopped a run from scoring throwing out Downs at the plate on a Murray fielder's choice. A fly ball to right left two stranded.
Peterson added to the Boilermaker hit tally with a one-out single in the fourth, but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double.
Iowa took the lead with three runs in a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning. Sargent walked, then pinch runner Mindy Heidgerken stole second. Pinch hitter Natalie Johnson joined her on base with a walk. Downs then hit a deep ball to right field for a double, then advanced to third on the throw home as both runners scored. May drove in Downs with a triple to the fence. Junior Diana LaRiva (Tustin, Calif.) then came in to pitch for the Boilermakers, relieving starter Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.). Nichols then drew a walk to put runners at the corners, but a fly out ended the rally.
The Boilermakers got one run back in the fifth on an RBI single by sophomore Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.). Senior Katie Absher (Puyallup, Wash.) drew a one-out walk, moved to second on a ground out, then scored on the Falzon hit to right. Falzon ended up on second on the throw home. Hillsey then joined her on base with a walk, before a strikeout ended the inning.
Messer sent a laser up the middle for a two-out single in the seventh, but the Hawkeyes squeaked out the win with a strikeout.
Messer led the Boilermaker bats with a 2-for-4 day at the plate, as the team scored two runs on six hits. Iowa managed three runs on six hits.
"I thought it was fantastic game," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "We battled every out. Everybody played their hearts out; we just came up a little short. We are looking forward to playing them again tomorrow.
Lisa Birocci (18-7) earned the complete game victory, while sophomore Brooke Baker was charged with the loss for Purdue. Baker struck out one in 3.2 innings of work, while reliever Diana LaRiva K'ed three in the final 2.1 innings.
The Boilermakers look to even the score with the Hawkeyes in a rematch at noon on Saturday.