Feb. 18, 2006
LAS VEGAS - After a promising beginning, No. 4 Tennessee proved to strong for the Boilermaker softball team, handing Purdue a 12-3 loss.
The Boilermakers wasted no time jumping on the scoreboard, chalking up three runs in the opening stanza. A sacrifice fly accounted for the first run, as senior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.) came in from third on a towering fly ball to right by senior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio). Falzon drew a lead-off walk, stole second then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Katie Mitchell (Crown Point, Ind.). Junior DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) followed with a two-run home run that sailed over the center field wall. The long ball scored sophomore Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) from third. Hall reached via walk, then advanced to third on the sacrifice bunt and the sacrifice fly. A strikeout ended the rally.
The Lady Vols got one run back in the bottom of the inning as a result of a two-base error. Lindsay Schutzler led off with a double to left, then scored the next play on an errant throw to first on a sacrifice attempt. A pair of fly balls capped the inning.
Tennessee struck again in the second with five runs on five hits to take the lead. The Lady Vols loaded the bases with a trio of one-out singles, then scored on a hit by pitch. The next two batters Sarah Fekete and Kristi Durant chalked up two-run doubles to make it 6-3, before a line drive to the shortstop got Purdue out of the inning.
Purdue put runners at second and third in the third inning, but could not score. Mitchell singled to short, then Lilley joined her on base after being hit by a pitch. Senior Becky Stone (Belleville, Ill.) drew a two-out walk to fill the bases, but a fielder's choice kept the Boilermakers from converting.
The Boilermakers switched pitchers in the third inning, putting junior Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) on the hill in place of starter Diana LaRiva (Tustin, Calif.). Schutzler singled to short in the third to score another run for the Lady Vols. Jennifer Griffin singled to short, then took second on an error by the second baseman, before advancing to third on a walk. Schutzler then delivered the two-out hit to extend the UT lead to 7-3. A grounder to the pitcher left two stranded.
The Lady Vols tacked on five more runs on three hits and three Boilermaker errors in the fourth. A double by Griffin scored the first run of the inning, then a Shannon Doepking double down the right field line added two more. Another run scored on a fielding error by the shortstop, then a pair of throwing errors pushed another run across to make it 12-3. A pair of ground outs and a pop up got Purdue out of the inning.
The Boilermakers went down in order in the fifth, sealing the run-rule victory for the No. 4 Lady Vols.
Purdue scored three runs on four hits, including two by junior designated player Katie Fortune (Kingwood, Texas). Tennessee scored 12 runs on 11 hits.
LaRiva (3-1) was charged with the loss after giving up six runs in two innings of work. Megan Rhodes (3-0) earned the victory for UT.
Purdue (4-4) looks to rebound at 10:15 (EST) when it faces off with Portland State.