March 2, 2007
WOODSTOCK, Ga. - A seventh-inning score left Purdue on the short end of 3-2 contest against Wright State Friday afternoon. A double in the top of the inning plated the winning run for the Raiders.
The Boilermakers put two runners on but could not score in the opening stanza. Sophomore Candace Curtis (Danville, Ind.) walked and senior DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) was hit by a pitch in the inning.
Bridget Henry tallied the game's first hit with a single to start the third inning, but was picked off moments later.
Purdue put up two runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning. Junior Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) singled and stole second before scoring on a single by Curtis, who went to second a fielding error by the center fielder. Sophomore Katie Mitchell (Crown Point, Ind.) followed with an RBI double up the left field line. Mitchell went to third on a passed ball, before being joined on base by Johnson, who walked. Pinch runner Catherine Zaworski (Prospect Heights, Ill.) stole second, but a strike out and caugo-out ht foul ball left both runners stranded.
A sharply hit single put Jherica Williams on base for WSU to start the fourth. Allison Cox put the Raiders on the board with a two-out home run to dead center. A strikeout ended the inning.
The Boilermakers put runners in scoring position in the sixth, but could not manage a run. Johnson reached on an error by the second baseman, then advanced to second on a ground out. Freshman Jenna Alexander (Rancho Murieta, Calif.) smoked a two-out single towards the third baseman, as Johnson moved to third. Alexander stole second setting up the scoring opportunity, but a fly ball to center field kept Purdue off the scoreboard.
Wright State put the winning run on base as Cox doubled to right center to start the seventh. A sacrifice moved pinch runner Patti Scherer to third. A single to right by Kristen Farley pushed the run across. A pair of ground balls brought Purdue to the plate for the final time.
The Boilermakers went down in order in the seventh to seal the Raider victory.
Purdue scored two runs on five hits, while Wright State managed three runs on five hits. Five different players accounted for the Boilermakers' five hits.
Cox earned the complete game victory for WSU after helping her cause at the plate. Senior Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) was charged with the loss despite striking out six in the complete game effort.
The Boilermakers return to action at 2 p.m. against San Jose State.