April 19, 2005
VALPARAISO, Ind. - It took a come-from-behind effort, but the Boilermaker softball team topped Valparaiso 6-3 in non-conference action in Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader. Purdue posted six runs on eight hits including a 3-for-4 day by Shelli Messer, but it was the pitching presence of Diana LaRiva that helped seal the deal. LaRiva struck out six of the nine batters she faced in relief.
The Boilermakers jumped on the board with a sacrifice fly in the opening stanza. Senior Shelli Messer (Greenfield, Ind.) singled to short, then moved to third on a sacrifice and a passed ball. Senior Andrea Hillsey (White Lake, Mich.) joined her on base via walk, before the sac fly by sophomore DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) scored Purdue's first run. A ground ball ended the inning.
A one-out walk in the bottom of the inning put Emily Tkaczyk on base, before Taylor Callahan joined her with a single back at the pitcher. A single up the middle by Courtney LaFerle plated Tkaczyk to tie the game, while moving Callahan to third. A wild pitch scored Callahan and advanced LaFerle to third, setting up an RBI single to left by Beth Adamski. A pair of grounders got the Boilermakers out of the inning without further damage.
The Crusaders put a runner on second as Kelly Silvey hit a lead-off single through the left side, then advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. A fly ball to left and a grounder to the third baseman left her stranded.
Purdue threatened in the third inning as Messer reached third but could not score. The senior gave the team a base runner with a one-out single up the middle. A grounder moved her to second before an errant throw by the catcher advanced her to third. A ground ball to the pitcher kept her from crossing the plate.
Callahan singled in the Crusaders' half of the third, but the next batter grounded into a textbook 5-4-3 doubleplay. A fielding error by the third baseman put Beth Adamski on base, but a fielder's choice saw her out at second on the following play.
The Boilermakers used a two-out rally in the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3. Senior Katie Absher (Puyallup, Wash.) started things off with a bunt single, then stole second, setting up an RBI opportunity for Messer. Messer delivered with a double into deep right center, then crossed the plate on a single through the right side by junior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.). A ground out ended the inning.
Megan Carroll singled up the middle to open the bottom of the fifth. Boilermaker pitcher Diana LaRiva (Tustin, Calif.) entered the game in relief of starter Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) to face the next batter. A sacrifice moved Carroll to second, but LaRiva sat down the next two batters via strikeout to bring her offense to the plate.
Johnson sent a lead-off single up the middle in the sixth, then pinch runner Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) moved to third on a sacrifice by junior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio). Lilley reached on a dropped ball by the first baseman, then advanced to third on an Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) single into right. Hall scored on the play. Pinch runner Jamie Dum (Indianapolis, Ind.) then stole second, putting two in scoring position. Junior Becky Stone (Belleville, Ill.) then laid down a squeeze bunt with one out to drive in Lilley from third. A grounder ended the rally. Purdue added an insurance run in the seventh. Messer reached on a wild pitch strike three, but was out at second on a Falzon fielder's choice the following play. Falzon then stole second, before scoring on a two-out single to short right by Johnson. A deep fly ball to center field brought the Crusaders to the plate for the final time.
LaRiva had sat down seven in a row, five via strikeout, before allowing a base runner. Alicia Ashburn drew a one-out walk in the seventh, then moved to third on a Carroll single to right. Carroll advanced to second on the throw to hold Ashburn at third. LaRiva wrapped up the game with a strikeout, her sixth, and a ground out to clinch the Purdue victory.
Messer led the Boilermaker bats with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, including one RBI and two runs. Johnson also posted a multi-hit day, going 2-for-3 with two RBI in the contest. Purdue scored six runs on eight hits and two Crusader miscues, while Valparaiso tallied three runs on seven hits.
LaRiva (10-4) earned the victory after striking out six and allowing just one hit in three innings of relief. Brittany Atteberrg was charged with the loss after giving up five runs in five inning of work for the Crusaders.
The Boilermakers (29-17) look to reach the 30-win milestone for the seventh-straight season with a victory in Game 2 of the doubleheader, which is slated to begin shortly after 5 p.m.