March 17, 2006
TAMPA, Fla. - The Boilermaker softball team tallied five runs on eight hits en route to a 5-0 shutout win over the host USF Bulls Friday afternoon. Purdue moves to 2-0 in Speedline Invitational play after senior Diana LaRiva tossed a three-hitter against the Bulls.
The Boilermakers scored first with one run on a hit and an error in the opening stanza. Senior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.) led off with a single to second base, then moved to third on a sacrifice and a wild pitch. She then scored on a fielder's choice that put junior DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) aboard, as the first baseman's throw home sailed over the catcher's head.
USF posted its first hit in with a third inning single, but could do nothing with it.
Johnson gave Purdue a 3-0 lead with a two-run shot over the center field fence in the fifth. The home run plated senior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio), who put a two-out single through the left side.
The Bulls put runners at the corners with two outs in the sixth on a hit and a fielder's choice, but a fly ball left both stranded.
After five innings, USF switched pitchers, pulling starter Cristi Ecks in favor of Bree Spence, but the change did not quiet the Purdue bats.
Falzon opened the seventh with a single to left, then scored after a ground out and an error. The throwing error by the shortstop put Lilley aboard and she moved to third on the play as the first baseman's throw to second was also off the mark. A single to left by Johnson scored Lilley making it 5-0. A strike out and fielder's choice ended the inning.
Krista Holle provided a single to right to start the home half of the seventh, but a fly out, strike out and ground out, kept the Purdue shutout in tact.
Purdue scored five runs on eight hits, including two each by Falzon, Lilley and Johnson. USF managed just three hits in the game.
Senior Diana LaRiva (Tustin, Calif.) moved to 8-6 on the season with the complete-game victory, including five strikeouts. Cristi Ecks was charged with the loss for USF.
The Boilermakers return to action at 11 a.m. Saturday when they take on George Mason to round out pool play.