Feb. 10, 2006
BOCA RATON, Fla. - The Boilermakers softball team picked up its first win under head coach Kim Maher with a 5-0 victory over Pittsburgh at the Florida Atlantic Worth Invitational on Friday.
Purdue boasted the game's first base runner as senior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.) drew a two-out walk in the top of the first. A ground ball, however, left her stranded.
Pittsburgh put a runner in scoring position in the second as Heather Connor earned a lead-off walk and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Two fly balls to left field kept the Panthers off the scoreboard.
Senior Becky Stone (Belleville, Ill.) singled to left to give Purdue a runner in the third, but she was unable to score.
The Panthers posted their first hit of the game in the fourth inning as Francesca DiMaria singled through the left side. She advanced to second on a sacrifice, before Stone caught a foul ball near the lip of the dugout to end the inning.
The Boilermakers jumped onto the scoreboard with up three runs on four hits in the fifth inning. Senior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) was hit by a pitch to start the stanza. She then stole second and moved to third on a DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) single through the left side. Johnson advanced to second as the Panthers threw home to keep Lilley from scoring. Freshman Katie Mitchell (Crown Point, Ind.) singled up the middle to drive in Lilley and move freshman pinch runner Christina Trauger (Santa Rosa, Calif.) to third. Trauger slid under the tag at home to score on a fielder's choice by Stone. Sophomore Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) hit a bloop single into right field to push Mitchell across the plate. Sophomore Tiffany Krcelich (Granger, Ind.) posted an infield single to load the bases, before a strikeout and a double play ended the rally.
Purdue added two more runs to its tally in the sixth on a two-out double to right center by Stone. The two-bagger scored Lilley and Mitchell who reached via walk and single respectively. Stone moved to third on a single to second base by Hall before a liner to third base ended the inning.
Pittsburgh threatened in the bottom of the inning, as Joey Scarf singled and advanced on a sacrifice, but a fly ball to center capped the stanza.
The Boilermakers took the Panthers down in order in the seventh via two strikeouts and a fly out to garner their first victory under head coach Kim Maher.
"Our batters were more patient and we had more hits with runners in scoring position than in the first game," Maher said. "We also created scoring opportunities with steals and hit and runs against Pittsburgh. Our pitchers did a great job today and we improved defensively in the second game.
"Christina Trauger did a great job running the bases today. Katie Mitchell also played well, getting the team's first RBI in her first game of the season."
Purdue scored five runs on eight hits, while giving up just two hits to the Panthers. Hall, Mitchell and Stone each tallied two hits for the Boilermakers, while Stone registered three RBI.
Senior Diana LaRiva (Tustin, Calif.) earned the complete-game shutout for the Boilermakers, striking out four in the effort.
The Boilermakers return to action at 9 a.m. Saturday when they take on Bethune-Cookman.