March 9, 2006
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Massachusetts Minutewomen spoiled the Purdue softball team's opening game at the USF/Adidas Invitational on Friday, defeating the Boilermakers 11-1 in five innings. Purdue looks to rebound against the Jacksonville Dolphins in a 6 p.m. contest.
The Boilermakers scored first, putting up one unearned run on one hit and an error in the opening stanza. Senior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.) led off with a single to second base. She moved to second on a sacrifice, before being joined on base by junior DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) who was hit by a pitch. Senior Becky Stone (Belleville, Ill.) reached on a throwing error by the first baseman, allowing Falzon to score. Johnson advanced to second on the play, but was thrown out trying to reach third to end the inning.
UMass answered with five runs on six hits in the bottom of the inning. Four RBI singles and a wild pitch accounted for the runs.
Junior Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) walked and moved to second as freshman Candace Curtis (Danville, Calif.) reached on a fielding error by the pitcher in the second inning. A strikeout and ground out kept the Boilermakers from adding to their run tally.
The Minutewomen added five more runs on four hits and an error in the third. A three-run home run by Stacy Cullington and a two-out, two-run double up the left line by KC Kelly made it 10-1.
UMass tacked on another run in the fourth as Amanda Acampora hit a solo home run.
The Boilermakers went down in order in the top of the fifth to end the game.
Purdue scored one run on two hits, while UMass put up 11 runs on 11 hits. Brandice Balschmiter (2-3) earned the complete game victory for the Minutewomen, while junior Brooke Baker (5-6) was saddled with the loss for Purdue.
The Boilermakers look to rebound in their 6 p.m. contest against Jacksonville University.