April 15, 2005
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The No. 1 Michigan Wolverines issued the Purdue softball team its second conference loss of the season with a 3-0 decision on Friday. The Boilermakers managed three hits in the contest, one each by Shelli Messer, Staci Falzon and Katie Absher. The team will get another crack at the Wolverines in a rematch at noon on Saturday. All students get in free as part of a student appreciation day promotion.
Tiffany Haas tallied the first hit of the game with a lead-off single to right. A fielder's choice put Haas out at second as Alessandra Giampaolo reached. A ground out moved the runner to second before a looking strikeout ended the inning.
Purdue put one runner on in the bottom of the inning as senior Shelli Messer (Greenfield, Ind.) sent a lead-off single through the right side. She moved to second on a ground out, but was left stranded by a ground ball to short and a fly ball to center.
The Wolverines had a runner in scoring position in the second, but could not convert her into a run on the scoreboard. Nicole Motycka singled up the middle to start the inning, then advanced to second on a Grace Leutele sacrifice bunt. A ground out kept her at second, bringing up Becky Marx. Marx singled into right, sending Motycka running. A spot-on throw home by DaQueta Johnson sent her scrambling back to third, where Messer was waiting to apply the tag to wrap up the inning.
Michigan took the lead with one run on two hits in the third. Giampaolo hit a bouncing two out single up the middle, then scored on a Jessica Merchant triple to the warning track in right field. The Boilermakers forced a ground out to get out of the inning.
Junior Becky Stone (Belleville, Ill.) drew a lead-off walk in the bottom of the inning, but pinch runner Tiffany Krcelich (Granger, Ind.) was left stranded by a pair of strikeouts and caught foul ball.
The Wolverines put two on in the fourth, but couldn't convert. Motycka drew a lead-off walk, then Stephanie Bercaw joined her on base with a one-out single up the middle. Junior Diana LaRiva entered the game to relieve sophomore Brooke Baker on the mound. LaRiva struck out the first batter she faced then forced the next to hit a line-drive at the shortstop to get the Boilermakers out of the inning unscathed.
A one-out single by Giampaolo gave Michigan a runner in the fifth, but she was nullified by a caught foul ball in right and a liner to the first baseman.
A solo home run by Motycka opened the sixth inning, making it 2-0 in favor of the Wolverines. Leutele then singled up the middle prompting relief pitcher Melissa Burns (Miami, Fla.) to enter the game. A sacrifice bunt moved Leutele into scoring position, but a fly ball to right and ground ball to short got Purdue out of the inning without further damage.
Senior Katie Absher (Puyallup, Wash.) ran out an infield single to start the Boilermakers' half of the sixth, but was caught stealing for the inning's second out. Junior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.) singled up the middle, then moved to second on a passed ball. A grounder just past first base accounted for the final out of the inning, leaving her stranded.
The Wolverines added an insurance run with an unearned run on one hit in the seventh. Haas reached on a fielding error by the shortstop, then moved to second on the play, setting up a scoring opportunity for Michigan. Giampaolo made good on the RBI opportunity with a double to the left field wall. A fly out, line out and ground out brought the Boilermakers to the plate.
Junior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) gave Purdue a base runner as the right fielder dropped a fly ball. Lilley advanced to second on the play. A ground out moved Lilley to third with two outs, but a line drive to the first baseman sealed the Michigan win.
Messer, Falzon and Absher tallied the Boilermakers' three hits, while Michigan managed three runs on 10 hits. Each team committed an error.
Jennie Ritter (18-0) earned the victory, while Lorilyn Wilson picked up the save after throwing the game's final three outs. Sophomore Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) took the loss for Purdue, moving her record to 13-10 on the year.
The Boilermakers (28-14, 5-2 Big Ten) return to the field at noon on Saturday in a rematch against the No. 1 Wolverines (41-3, 8-1 Big Ten).