Feb. 10, 2007
STARKVILLE, Miss. - A late rally by Kennesaw State kept the Boilermaker softball team from earning its first of the season. The Owls scored seven runs in the final three innings to turn a 7-3 Purdue lead into a 10-7 defeat. Freshman Kelsey Haupert (Olympia, Wash.) provided a bright spot for the Boilermakers, posting a perfect 4-for-4 day at the plate.
The Owls put up two runs on two hits and a sacrifice fly in the opening stanza. Klair Wells walked and scored on a one-out double by Keri McKee. McKee went to third on a base hit and scored on the sacrifice by Kelsey Kulk. A ground ball ended the inning.
The Boilermakers responded with a run on a hit in the bottom of the inning. Senior Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) drew a one-out walk, then went to second on a single up the middle by Haupert. A passed ball moved both runners into scoring position as freshman Jenna Alexander (Rancho Murieta, Calif.) came to the plate. Alexander hit a sacrifice fly to left, driving in Peterson from third to put Purdue on the board.
Purdue took the lead with four runs on four hits in the second as they batted around. Sophomore Katie Mitchell (Crown Point, Ind.) started things off with a single up the middle. She then moved to third on a sacrifice by senior Catherine Zaworski (Prospect Heights, Ill.) and a bunt single by sophomore Kelly Miller (Indianapolis, Ind.). Miller stole second putting both runners in scoring position. Junior Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) drove in both with a single to the right center gap. Hall then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball, before being joined on base by Peterson, who walked. The Boilermakers then pulled off a double steal for a score. Haupert singled to right to plate Peterson, then Alexander walked before a strikeout ended the stanza.
KSU combined a Sarah Hesterman two-out double and a Hollie Huffman single for a run in the fourth.
The Boilermakers responded with two runs on four hits in the bottom of the inning. Hall posted a lead-off single, then went to second on a sacrifice by Peterson. Haupert singled through the left side sending Hall to third. Pinch runner Amy Butcher (Decatur, Ind.) then stole second as Hall scored on the throw. Alexander followed with a single to left and advanced to second as Butcher was thrown out trying to score. Sophomore Alicia Spack (West Lafayette, Ind.) singled to right to plate Alexander, but was caught stealing to end the inning.
The Owls tied the game with four runs on four hits and an error in the fifth. A two-run home run by Jennifer Nolan made it 7-5. A fielder's choice, an illegal pitch and two singles plated tied up the game at 7-7. Freshman Sarah Grams (Trail Creek, Ind.) came in to relieve starter Ashley DiDomenico (Youngstown, Ind.) in the inning.
Grams pitched to the first batter of the sixth inning, before being replaced by senior Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.). A pair of fielder's choice plays, an error and two singles brought in two more runs for Kennesaw State.
The Boilermakers put two runners on in the bottom of the inning as Peterson and Haupert tallied two-out singles, but a ground out kept Purdue off the scoreboard.
KSU made it a three-run game with a run on a hit and an error in the seventh. Hesterman led off with a single and moved around the bases on a sacrifice, an error and a fielder's choice.
An error by the KSU shortstop gave Purdue a base runner to begin its half of the seventh. Spack reached on the Owl miscue and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but was left stranded by a pop up, ground out and fly out.
Purdue scored seven runs on 11 hits and an error, while Kennesaw State managed 10 runs on 14 hits and three errors. The Boilermakers offense was led by Haupert's 4-for-4 effort and Hall's 2-for-4 performance. Haupert tallied four singles and an RBI, while Hall accounted for two base hits, two runs and two RBI.
Missy Hobdy earned the win for KSU after pitching 3.1 innings of relief, while Norie Glazebrook picked up the save for tossing the final two innings of the contest. Baker was charged with the loss for Purdue.
The Boilermakers return to action at noon (CST), when they take on the host Mississippi State Bulldogs.