April 30, 2006
MINNEAPOLIS - The Boilermaker softball team scattered five runs on 10 hits in Game 1 of Sunday's rain-delayed twin bill with Minnesota. A two-run home run by freshman Katie Mitchell was the deciding blow in Purdue's 5-4 victory.
After an hour and a half rain delay, the Boilermakers got their first base runner with a lead-off walk. Senior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.) drew the free pass, then went to second on a sacrifice by senior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio), but was left stranded by a strikeout.
The Gophers put a runner in scoring position with a double in the bottom of the inning, but could not manage a run.
Purdue put a runner on second via walk and sacrifice again in the second, but could not score. Senior Kristen Schell (San Diego, Calif.) drew the free pass, then pinch runner Kelly Miller (Indianapolis, Ind.) advanced to second on a sacrifice by junior Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.). A foul out kept the team from converting.
Sophomore Tiffany Krcelich (Granger, Ind.) recorded Purdue's first hit of the game with a third-inning single, but the team could not bring her in to score.
The Gophers put two on with two outs in the bottom of the third, but a strikeout left them stranded.
The Boilermakers scored three runs on three hits in a two-out rally in the fourth. Senior Becky Stone (Belleville, Ill.) doubled to left center, then was joined on base by Peterson who walked. Freshman Katie Mitchell (Crown Point, Ind.) drove in both with a double off the wall in left center. She went to third on the throw home, before scoring the following play as senior Lauren Devich (Bloomington, Ind.) singled through the left side. An error by the first baseman put Falzon aboard, before a ground out ended the rally.
Minnesota answered with three runs of their own on two hits in the bottom of the inning. A two-out single by pinch hitter Katie Meyer and a two-out run double by Lindsey Erickson tied the score.
Megan Higginbotham gave the Gophers the lead with a solo home run to lead off the home half of the fifth. Senior Diana LaRiva (Tustin, Calif.) took over in the circle for the Boilermakers and issued a strikeout, a sacrifice and a ground out to end the inning, stranding two runners.
The Boilermakers responded with a home run of its own in the sixth as Mitchell hit a two-run shot over the wall in center field. The dinger followed a double by Stone and a sacrifice, which moved pinch runner Catherine Zaworski (Prospect Heights, Ill.) to third. Devich added a single, but a strikeout and ground out kept her from scoring.
The Gophers stranded two in scoring position again in the sixth.
A pair of seventh inning hits by Lilley and Johnson spelled the end of Minnesota starter Katie Dalen as Rene Konderik took over in the circle with one on and one out. Pinch runner Christina Trauger (Santa Rosa, Calif.) went to second on a ground out before a fly ball ended the inning.
After allowing a lead off walk in the bottom of the seventh, the Boilermakers issued a strikeout, a sacrifice and a ground out to seal the victory.
Purdue scored five runs on 10 hits, including two-hit days by Johnson, Stone, Mitchell and Devich. Minnesota managed four runs on six hits.
LaRiva (11-11) earned the victory for Purdue after striking out two and allowing just one hit in three innings of relief. Dalen (5-12) was saddled with the loss for Minnesota.
The teams will play Game 2 of the twin bill beginning at 4:15 (CT).