March 30, 2007
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker softball team racked up eight runs on 10 hits, including five for extra bases, en route to an 8-1 home-opening victory over Illinois on Friday. The win marked Purdue's fourth straight and the team's 11th home-opening win in 14 tries.
Sophomore Katie Mitchell (Crown Point, Ind.) led the Boilermaker bats with a 4-for-4 outing including a double and a home run. Junior Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) and freshman Kelsey Haupert (Olympia, Wash.) also tallied multiple hits in the contest.
Senior Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) picked up the complete-game victory, striking out one and allowing just five hits. Vicky Brown (12-5) was saddled with the loss after giving up six runs in three plus innings of work.
The Illini struck first with a run on two hits in the opening stanza. Shanna Diller hit a one-out single up the middle, then scored as Makenzie Smith send a two-out double into left. Smith was caught away from the bag at second following the play for the third out of the inning.
The Boilermakers answered with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the inning. Hall led off with a single to right, before being joined on base by freshman Ashley Barr (Meridian, Idaho) who reached on an infield single. The duo moved into scoring position with a double steal. Mitchell lined a shot at the third baseman, who was unable to handle the sharp hit, loading the bases. A fielder's choice put senior DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) on base as Hall was out at the plate. With the bases juiced, Haupert came through with a three-run double to left center.
Hall swiped her second base of the game to move into scoring after a fielder's choice in the second, but was left stranded.
Mitchell doubled to lead off the third, but could not score.
The Illini threatened with a pair of singles in the fourth, but the Boilermaker defense held strong, thwarting a comeback effort.
Purdue broke the game open with five runs on four hits in the bottom of the inning. Freshman Jenna Alexander (Rancho Murieta, Calif.) tacked on one run with a one-out solo home run to center. Hall plated another with a triple to right center, which drove in pinch runner Amy Butcher (Decatur, Ind.), who was on base for senior Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.), who was hit by a pitch. A fielder's choice put Barr on base. Hall scored on the play and Barr moved to second on the throw home. Mitchell racked up her ninth home run of the season, a towering two-run shot to left to make it a 8-1 contest. Senior Catherine Zaworski (Prospect Heights, Ill.) was hit by a pitch, then Haupert followed with a single up the middle. A fielder's choice gave Purdue runners at the corners with two outs and a chance at a run-rule victory, but a runner was caught stealing to end the inning.
The Boilermakers put two on in the fifth to no avail. Alexander walked and Peterson reached on a catcher's interference call, but couldn't score.
Mitchell added her fourth hit of the game with a single to left to lead off the sixth. A fielder's choice put Zaworski on. Another fielder's choice gave Purdue runners at the corners. Sophomore Candace Curtis (Danville, Ind.) stole second, but a strikeout left two on.
The Illini went down in order in the seventh on a pair of ground outs and a pop out to seal the Purdue win.
The Boilermakers (18-21-1) return to action at noon Saturday when they wrap up the series with the Illini.