April 22, 2005
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker softball team matched Wisconsin score for score in regulation, but the Badgers pulled out an 8-3 victory with a ninth-inning rally. Purdue managed three runs on 12 hits, but it was not enough to overcome the Badgers. The Boilermakers look to split the series and garner their 30th win of the season with a victory in Saturday's rematch.
"This was a heartbreaker," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "We battled; we were just a few key hits away from getting it done. We hope to bounce back and get them tomorrow."
The Badgers got their first baserunner in the opening stanza as Samantha Polito reached on a fielding error by the third baseman. A ground ball moved her to second, but grounder back to the pitcher ended the inning.
Purdue tallied two hits in its half of the inning as senior Shelli Messer (Greenfield, Ind.) and senior Andrea Hillsey (White Lake, Mich.) posted singles. Messer singled up the middle to start the stanza, but was caught stealing after a strikeout. Hillsey was also caught stealing for the third out of the inning.
Junior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) singled down the left field line with one out in the second, before being retired on a fielder's choice that put sophomore Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) on base. A strikeout left Peterson stranded.
Wisconsin added another hit to its tally as Athena Vasquez sent a one-out single into left field in the third inning. A fielder's choice put Vasquez out at second and put Kris Zacher aboard. Zacher was then caught stealing to end the inning.
The Badgers ended the scoreless tie in the fourth inning with one run on three hits. Katie Hnatyk hit a one-out single to right, then moved to third on a Joey Daniels single to right center. An infield single by Anastasia Miller drove in the run, before a ground out ended the stanza.
Purdue answered with a single swing of the bat as Hillsey launched a solo home run over the left center wall. Lilley then sent a two-out single into right field, before a liner to the right fielder got the Badgers out of the inning without further damage.
Freshman Tiffany Krcelich (Granger, Ind.) sent a pinch-hit single into right field with one out in the fifth, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Katie Absher (Puyallup, Wash.). A ground out left her stranded.
The scoring resumed in the sixth as the Badgers put up two runs on four hits. With one out, Hnatyk hit a home run just inside the right field foul pole. Boo Gillette and Daniels followed with back-to-back singles to center field. Miller reached on a fielder's choice that saw Daniels out at second and pinch runner Melissa Trainor move over to third. Ricci Robben then picked up the RBI with a single up the middle to score Trainor. A grounder to third base left two stranded.
The Boilermakers tied it up at 3-3 with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) hit a two-out single to left to start the rally. Pinch runner Jamie Dum (Indianapolis, Ind.) then moved to second as Lilley was hit by a pitch. Peterson singled through the right side to load the bases. Designated player Lauren Devich (Bloomington, Ind.) tied the game with a two-run double into deep left field, which plated both Dum and Lilley. Peterson was called out at the plate trying to score from second.
Wisconsin put a runner on in the seventh with a Polito single, but could not score. The Boilermakers followed suit as Messer sent a two-out double into center field, but was left stranded.
The Badgers put a runner in scoring position in the eighth as Gillette singled to right then moved to second on a sacrifice. A ground ball to the second baseman and a fly ball to center kept her from scoring.
Purdue threatened to win it in the bottom of the inning, but could not plate the runners. Hillsey drew a lead-off walk. Johnson then reached on a fielder's choice which saw Hillsey out at second. Lilley singled to the shortstop who then overthrew first base, allowing her to move to third and giving Johnson the opportunity to score. Johnson, however, was called out at the plate keeping the game knotted at 3-3. Katie Layne then entered the game to pitch for the Badgers. She walked the first batter she faced in Peterson, but got the next batter to line out to escape the inning unscathed.
Wisconsin broke the tie with five runs on six hits and an error in the ninth. Natalie Phillips started the stanza with a single to center, then advanced to second on a fielding error by the center fielder. A passed ball moved Phillips to third, before a Vasquez single up the middle scored her. The Boilermakers then swapped pitchers putting freshman Melissa Burns (Miami, Fla.) on the mound for starter Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.). The first batter she faced hit into a fielder's choice, putting Zacher aboard as the Boilermakers got the lead runner. Zacher stole second, then Polito joined her on base after being hit by a pitch. Hnatyk made Purdue pay with a three-run shot over the right field wall. Gillette singled to right, prompting Baker to reenter the game on the mound. The change did not deter the Badgers as Daniels doubled to center to push Gillette over to third. Robben then sent a two-out single in right field to score Gillete and move Daniels to third. Baker struck the next batter out looking to bring the Boilermakers to the plate.
Pinch hitter Kristen Schell (San Diego, Calif.) reached on a fielding error by the shortstop to start the inning. Absher then singled to left, moving pinch runner Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) into scoring position. Messer reached on a fielder's choice as the Badgers tagged Hall on her way to third. Hillsey reached on a two-out error by the shortstop to load the bases. A grounder to second base ended the Purdue comeback effort.
Lilley went 3-for-3 at the plate to lead the Purdue bats, while Messer and Hillsey also tallied multi-hit days with two each. Purdue scored three runs on 12 hits and three Badgers errors. Wisconsin posted eight runs on 16 hits and two Boilermaker miscues.
Katie Layne (5-6) earned the victory for Wisconsin, allowing just one hit in 1.1 innings of relief. Baker (13-12) was saddled with the loss despite striking out three in 8.2 innings of work.
The Boilermakers look to rebound with a victory in the series finale at noon on Saturday.