Feb. 19, 2006
LAS VEGAS - A seventh-inning rally ended a 1-1 tie and pushed Portland State past the Purdue softball team Saturday evening at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic. The Vikings won the game by a score of 4-1.
Portland State took advantage of a Boilermaker fielding miscue in the opening stanza to score a run. Laura Segall walked then advanced to second on a passed ball. With two outs, Mandy Hill reached on a fielding error, allowing Segall to score on the misplay. A grounder to first ended the inning.
The Boilermakers threatened in the bottom of the inning, as senior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.) led off with a double to right and advanced to third on a sacrifice by senior Becky Stone (Belleville, Ill.). A strike out and ground out left her stranded.
Purdue got on the board in the third as senior Lauren Devich (Bloomington, Ind.) doubled and scored. Devich led off the inning with a double up the left field line. She then advanced to third on a sacrifice by sophomore Tiffany Krcelich (Granger, Ind.) and scored the next play, sliding under a tag at the plate on a Falzon fielder's choice. Falzon moved to second on a sacrifice by Stone, but was left on base by a strike out.
The Boilermakers put a runner in scoring position in the fourth, but could not turn it into a run. Senior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) started the inning with a sharply hit single to the shortstop, then advanced to third on a sacrifice and a ground ball. A strikeout kept Purdue from adding to its run tally.
The teams remained tied until the top of the seventh when PSU pitcher Mandy Hill sent a double up the right line to score Jackie Heide, who drew a lead-off walk. Hill moved to third on the throw home. Kimi Daniel tripled to right to score Hill. Daniel scored on a two-out fielding error by the third baseman. The Vikings loaded the bases on two errors, including the aforementioned, and an infield single, but a grounded to the pitcher kept them from adding to their lead.
Purdue went down in order in the bottom of the seventh to seal the PSU win.
The Boilermakers scored one run on six hits, while the Vikings posted four runs on eight hits. Lilley led Purdue with two hits.
Junior Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) was charged with the loss, while Hill picked up the complete game win for PSU.
The Boilermakers return to action a noon (EST) when they take on Wright State to wrap up the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic.