March 9, 2007
FRESNO, Calif. - The Boilermaker softball team dropped a 5-3 decision to BYU at the Bulldog Classic Friday night. Purdue racked up nine hits, but left nine runners on base in the contest.
The Boilermakers put a runner in scoring position in the opening stanza, but could not bring her home. Junior Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) was hit by a pitch to begin the game. She advanced to second on a sacrifice by freshman Ashley Barr (Meridian, Idaho), then stole second, but was left stranded by a strikeout and line out.
BYU jumped on the scoreboard quickly in the bottom of the inning as Cortney Nix-Clark hit a lead off triple to center field and scored on a wild pitch the following play.
Purdue put two on in the second, but to no avail. Senior Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) reached on a fielding error by the second baseman, then was joined on base by freshman Jenna Alexander (Rancho Murieta, Calif.), who singled to left. A pop up and a ground ball left them stranded.
The Cougars made it 2-0 with a run on four hits in the second. Angie Quiocho led off with a double to left, then scored on a one-out single to right by Dani Urincho. BYU stranded two as right fielder DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) caught a liner and gunned down Urincho who was trying to score from third.
The Boilermakers took the lead in the third, scoring three runs on three hits. Sophomore Katie Mitchell (Crown Point, Ind.) drew a two-out walk to start the rally. Johnson joined her on base with a walk, bringing sophomore Candace Curtis (Danville, Calif.) to the plate. Curtis made good on the RBI opportunity with a triple into the left field corner, then scored on a wild pitch the following play.
BYU regained the advantage in the bottom of the inning as Quiocho sent a two-run shot over the fence in right center.
Hall and Barr posted two-out singles in the fourth, but were unable to score. Sophomore Kelly Miller (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Hall did the same in the sixth, but again to no avail.
The Cougars went up 5-3 with a run on a two hits in the sixth. Quiocho recorded a lead-off double and went to third on a fly out, before scoring on a fielder's choice squeeze play.
The Boilermakers kept hope alive in the seventh as Mitchell singled to left to start the stanza. A fielder's choice put Johnson aboard. Pinch runner Catherine Zaworski (Prospect Heights, Ill.) moved into scoring position on a ground out, but was left stranded by a strikeout.
Purdue scored three runs on nine hits, while BYU put up five runs on nine hits. Hall led the Boilermakers with a 3-for-3 effort at the plate.
Dani Urincho (2-0) earned the complete game victory for the Cougars, while sophomore Ashley DiDomenico (Youngstown, Ohio) struck out two in a complete game effort for the Boilermakers.
Purdue will get another crack at the Cougars on Saturday, as the teams will meet again at 9 a.m. (PST) to kick off Day 3 action at the Bulldog Classic.