May 10, 2005
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A solo home run by senior Andrea Hillsey marked the lone ‎hit of the game for Purdue in Tuesday's contest against Notre Dame, while the Fighting ‎Irish put up four runs on eight hits en route to the 4-1 win. The Boilermakers return to ‎action on Thursday when they take on Northwestern to open the Big Ten Tournament in ‎Ann Arbor, Mich.‎
Stephanie Brown singled to left to start off the game for Notre Dame. Brown moved to ‎third on a sacrifice and a ground ball, before scoring on a two-out wild pitch. The batter ‎at that time, Meagan Ruthrauff grounded out on the next pitch to end the inning. ‎
Senior Andrea Hillsey (White Lake, Mich.) represented Purdue's first base runner as she ‎reached on a two-out walk in the bottom of the inning. She was caught stealing moments ‎later to wrap up the stanza. ‎
The Boilermakers put two on with no one out in the second. Junior Tricia Lilley (North ‎Canton, Ohio) was hit by a pitch, before sophomore DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) ‎reached on a walk. Junior Lauren Devich (Bloomington, Ind.) loaded the bases by taking ‎a two-out free pass. A called strikeout left all three runners stranded.‎
The Fighting Irish boosted their lead to 2-0 as Mallorie Lenn sent the first pitch of the ‎third inning over the wall in left center. Sara Schoonaert followed with a single through ‎the right side, but was caught stealing soon after. A strikeout and grounder to the ‎shortstop accounted for the final two outs of the inning. ‎
Hillsey and Lilley reached again in the third on back-to-back two-out walks. A strikeout ‎kept Purdue off the scoreboard. ‎
Megan Ciolli led off the fourth with a single the followed the chalk line up to third base. ‎Ciolli was out at second the following play as Ruthrauff reached on the fielder's choice. ‎A sacrifice moved her into scoring position, before a grounder to short left her stranded. ‎
Notre Dame put Heather Booth on the mound to start the Boilermaker's half of the ‎fourth. After issuing two outs, she gave Devich her second free pass of the game. Pinch ‎runner Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) was caught stealing to end the inning. ‎
Schoonaert and Brown drew two-out walks in the fifth, prompting a Purdue pitching ‎change. Junior Diana LaRiva (Tustin, Calif.) came in to replace sophomore Brooke Baker ‎‎(Schererville, Ind.) in the circle. A Kellie Middleton single up the middle, scored ‎Schoonaert from second, but Brown was thrown out trying to take third on the play. ‎
Ciolli reached on a bunt single to start the sixth, then moved to second on a sacrifice, but ‎was left stranded by a fly ball to left and a pop up to the first baseman. ‎
Hillsey snapped the Irish bid for a no-hitter and shutout in the bottom of the inning, ‎leading off by sending a 3-1 pitch flying over the left field wall. ‎
Notre Dame got the run back on a two-out RBI single by Brown in the top of the seventh. ‎Gessica Hufnagle sent a one-out double into left center, before scoring on the Brown hit. ‎LaRiva struck out the next batter looking to bring the Boilermakers to bat one final time. ‎
Purdue went down in order in the final stanza to seal the Irish victory at 4-1. ‎
The Boilermakers scored one run on hit, which came in the form of a solo home run by ‎Hillsey. Notre Dame put up four runs on eight hits in the contest. ‎
Heather Booth (20-6) garnered the victory for the Irish, while Baker (15-15) was saddled ‎with the loss after throwing 4.2 innings. ‎
The Boilermakers return to action at 5 p.m. on Thursday when they take on No. 2 seed ‎Northwestern in Big Ten Tournament action. The game will be broadcast live on WLAS ‎‎1410 AM in Lafayette, Ind., and on the web at www.purduesports.com. Live stats also ‎will be provided on purduesports.com. ‎