March 23, 2007
OXFORD, Ohio - One run in the sixth inning was all it took for the Boilermaker softball team to defeat Youngstown State for its seventh-straight victory. Purdue plated the game's only run on a wild pitch and an error, while senior Brooke Baker did the job on the mound, striking out six in the complete-game victory.
The Penguins put their leadoff batter on in the first via walk and sacrificed her to second but couldn't break onto the scoreboard.
The Boilermakers did the same in the second inning as freshman Kelsey Haupert (Olympia, Wash.) earned the free pass.
Junior Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) tripled with one-out in the third, but was left stranded by a pair of ground balls.
Haupert reached base again in the fourth on a fielding error by the third baseman. Senior DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) laid down a bunt single, and was hit by an errant throw by the catcher, allowing Haupert to move to third. Pinch runner Christina Trauger (Santa Rosa, Calif.) was caught stealing before a ground ball and fly out ended the stanza.
Purdue put two in scoring position again in the fifth, but the game remained scoreless. Freshman Jenna Alexander (Rancho Murieta, Calif.) was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Pinch runner Catherine Zaworski (Prospect Heights, Ill.) went to second on a Kelly Miller (Indianapolis, Ind.) single to short and advanced to third on a ground out. Another grounder and a strikeout left both runners on base.
Jamie Fornal tallied the second hit of the game for YSU with a lead-off single in the home half of the fifth. A sacrifice moved her into scoring position, but to no effect.
Haupert gave Purdue a base runner again in the sixth as she singled to right center. Sophomore Candace Curtis laid down a sacrifice, setting the table for the Boilermaker score. Pinch runner Amy Butcher (Decatur, Ind.) went to third on a wild pitch and scored as the catcher threw the ball into left field trying to hold Butcher at third on the play.
Hall posted a two-out bunt single in the seventh and went to second as the pitcher's throw to first sailed into the dugout. A ground ball brought the Penguins to bat one final time.
The Boilermakers escaped a Youngstown rally in the bottom of the seventh to seal the win. Fornal tallied her third her of the game with a one-out double up the left line. She went to third on a Megan Bricker single to center, but was called out trying to score as freshman Ashley Barr gunned her down at the plate. A strike out, Baker's sixth of the game, capped the win.
Purdue scored one run on five hits and four errors, while allowing Youngstown State five hits. Hall went 2-for-4 in the contest to lead the Boilermaker bats.
Baker (Schererville, Ind.) moved to 11-10 on the season with the complete-game victory Karlie Burnell was saddled with the loss for the Penguins.
Purdue returns to action at 2:30 p.m. when the team takes on the host Miami (Ohio) Redhawks, following a ceremony to mark the opening of Miami Softball Complex. The radio broadcast of the contest, which will air on WLAS 1410 AM and purduesports.com, will begin at 2:20 p.m. Live statistics of the game also will be provided via the GameTracker link on purduesports.com.