May. 1, 2005
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State Buckeyes used timely hits en route to a 6-1 victory over the Purdue softball team in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader. The Boilermakers' lone run came on a solo home run by senior Andrea Hillsey. Purdue looks to even the series with a victory in Game 2 of the twin bill.
The Boilermakers put three runners on base in the opening stanza, but could not convert them into runs on the scoreboard. Junior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) was hit by a pitch to start the game, then moved to second on a sacrifice by senior Katie Absher (Puyallup, Wash.). Absher was safe on the play as the third baseman misfielded the bunt which dribbled along the third baseline. Senior Andrea Hillsey (White Lake, Mich.) reached on a fielder's choice, which saw Lilley out at third. A caught foul ball and a pop up left both runners stranded.
The Buckeyes tallied the first hit of the game as Karisa Evans doubled to center field with one out in the bottom of the first. Jamee Juarez picked up the RBI with a two-out single up the middle. A fly ball to center ended the inning.
Ohio State put two runners on in the third as Natalie Hales walked and Nicole Koyano reached on an error by the shortstop. A sacrifice moved both into scoring position. A sacrifice fly to short right field scored Hales, while Koyano remained at second. Juarez singled to put runners at the corners for Billie Jo Carder, who singled up the middle to score Koyano. The Boilermakers put in sophomore Brooke Baker to counter the OSU batters on the mound. The next batter grounded out to get Purdue out of the inning without further damage.
Purdue got one run back as Hillsey hit a solo home run over the centerfield wall to start the fourth inning. Juarez struck out the side to end the stanza.
OSU added three runs in the fourth inning on three hits and an error. Liz Caputo reached on a one-out bunt single. She moved to second as Koyano drew a two-out walk. A single up the middle by Evans scored Caputo, putting runners at first and second. Megan Schwab then singled through the left side, scoring Koyano. Evans also scored on the play as the throw from the center fielder to third base trickled towards the OSU dugout. Schwab ended up at third, but was left stranded by a grounder to the second baseman.
Junior Becky Stone (Belleville, Ill.) reached on a two-out free pass in the fifth, but an infield pop up kept pinch runner Jamie Dum (Indianapolis, Ind.) from scoring.
The Buckeyes put runners in scoring in both the fifth and sixth, but the Boilermakers kept OSU off the scoreboard.
Sophomore Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) kept hope alive with a one-out single up the middle in the seventh. A fielder's choice put junior Lauren Devich (Bloomington, Ind.) on, but stopped pinch runner Tiffany Kreclich (Granger, Ind.) from taking second. A strikeout ended the game.
Purdue scored one run on two hits, one each by Hillsey and Peterson, while OSU posted six runs on nine hits and three Boilermaker miscues.
Jamee Juarez (21-10) earned the complete game victory, while junior Diana LaRiva (Tustin, Calif.) was charged with the loss for Purdue.
The Boilermakers look to leave Columbus, Ohio, with a split by picking up a victory in Game 2 of the doubleheader.