March 5, 2006
FULLERTON, Calif. - The Purdue softball team played its third ranked opponent in as many games and could not hold off the No. 9 Oregon State Beavers at the Worth Invitational Saturday night. The Beavers won the game 9-1.
The Boilermakers posted the game's first hit as senior Kristen Schell (San Diego, Calif.) sent a two-out double into center field. Junior Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) joined her on base with a walk, but a ground ball to the shortstop left both stranded.
Purdue put two runners on base again in the third inning as senior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.) singled to left center and senior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) followed with a two-out single up the middle. A fly ball to left kept the Boilermakers off the scoreboard.
Oregon State jumped on the scoreboard in the fourth inning with a three-run double by Stefanie Ewing. Ewing's hit scored Cambria Miranda and Mia Longfellow, who singled, and DeAnn Young, who was hit by a pitch.
Senior Becky Stone (Belleville, Ill.) and Schell reached in the bottom of the fourth, but again the Boilermakers could not convert. Stone reached on an error. Pinch runner Kelly Miller (Indianapolis, Ind.) moved to second as Schell walked, then both runners advanced on a sacrifice by Peterson. A pair of strikeouts left the duo on base.
The Beavers added two runs to their lead in the fifth as Miranda sent a two-run shot over the left field fence. The home run drove in Paige Lowe, who singled up the left line.
The Boilermakers combined three hits and a sacrifice for a run in the fifth. Falzon led off with a single to short. Sophomore Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) followed with a bunt single. Both runners moved into scoring position on a sacrifice by junior DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.). Stone picked up the RBI with a two-out single up the middle, then advanced to second on the throw home. A ground ball to first base ended the Purdue rally.
OSU tacked on two more runs in the sixth as pitcher Brianne McGowan helped her own case with a two-run home run over the fence in left center. The hit scored Maggie DeWall, who walked and stole second. Sherina Galvan singled to right, advanced to second on an error by shortstop, then scored on a single through the left side by Longfellow. A sacrifice fly scored Miranda, who reached on the error and moved to third on the Longfellow hit, to make it 9-1.
Peterson singled through the right side to open the sixth inning. Pinch runner Christina Trauger (Santa Rosa, Calif.) moved to second on a dropped third strike, but two strikeouts ended the game.
The Boilermakers scored one run on seven hits, led by Falzon's 2-for-4 performance. Oregon State scored nine runs on nine hits in the game.
McGowan (10-1) earned the victory after tossing five innings. Senior Diana LaRiva (Tustin, Calif.) was saddled with the loss, despite striking out four in four and a third innings of work.
Purdue (8-9) returns to action at 11:15 a.m. (PST) when they take on the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos.