April 2, 2006
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue softball team utilized a balanced offensive effort and a strong pitching performance to register its second straight conference split with a 4-1 win in Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader with Ohio State. The Boilermakers returns to action on Tuesday when the team plays host to Ball State in a non-conference contest slated to begin at 3 p.m.
Purdue put two runners in scoring position in the opening stanza, but could not manage a run. Senior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.) led off with a triple up the right field line, then was joined on base by senior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) who was hit by a pitch and stole second. A strike out and a line out to left kept the Boilermakers from scoring.
OSU combined two hits and an error for a run in the bottom of the first. Brittany Vanderink singled and moved to second on a throwing error by the pitcher. She then scored on a Megan Schwab double to right center. A strikeout left Schwab stranded.
Junior Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) tied it up with a one-out solo home run over the wall in right center in the second inning.
Falzon singled to lead off the third inning and moved to second on a sacrifice, but could make it no further as a fly ball to center ended the inning.
Senior Lauren Devich (Bloomington, Ind.) took on the wind and won in the fourth inning, sending a two-out home run over the left field fence against the gusting breeze that was blowing in from the outfield. The round-tripper also plated Peterson, who singled up the middle.
Devich made it 4-1 with a double to left center in the sixth. The two-bagger followed a single to center by Peterson, and scored pinch runner Christina Trauger (Santa Rosa, Calif.). Courtney Pruner took over on the mound, before Devich moved to third on a passed ball and dished a pair of strikeouts to wrap up the stanza.
The Boilermakers put up four runs on nine hits, including multi-hit games by Peterson, Devich and Falzon. OSU scored one runs on four hits in the game.
Sophomore Melissa Burns (Miami, Fla.) struck out five in the complete-game victory for Purdue after starting her first game of the season. Jamee Juarez (9-8) was saddled with the loss for the Buckeyes after tossing five and a third innings.
Purdue returns to action at 3 p.m. Tuesday when the Ball State Cardinals visit the Varsity Softball Complex.