March 31, 2007
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker softball team split its first Big Ten series of the season as Illinois issued Purdue an 8-0 loss in Game 2 of the series on Saturday. The Boilermakers look to rebound as they return to action at noon Sunday in a doubleheader against Iowa.
The Illini loaded the bases in the first on a pair of singles and a walk, but senior Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) struck out the side to get out of the jam.
Sophomore Candace Curtis (Danville, Calif.) drew a two-out walk in the second to give Purdue's its first base runner, but the Boilermakers could not plate a run.
Junior Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) reached on a two-out bunt single in the third, and freshman Kelsey Haupert (Olympia, Wash.) singled in the fourth, but the Boilermakers could not bring either home.
Illinois plated six runs on six hits in the bottom of the fourth to break the game open. The Illini tallied four straight singles to score the first two runs. A Shanna Diller double added two more. A Lana Armstrong home run to right center made it 6-0.
The Boilermakers tallied their lone extra-base hit of the day as senior Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) sent a two-out double into right field in the fifth. A ground out kept her from scoring.
Kisten Martin led off the Illinois half of the fifth with a home run to left center. A trio of ground outs brought Purdue to the plate.
Freshman Ashley Barr (Meridian, Idaho) singled to short center field to start the sixth. A fly out advanced her to second, but a pop up and fly out ended the inning.
Angelena Mexicano reach on an error by the third baseman with one out in the sixth and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Diller filled the empty bag at first on a walk. Lana Armstrong then sent a single up the left line to plate Mexicano and end the contest via run rule.
Purdue managed four hits in the game, while allowing Illinois eight runs on 11 hits. Vicky Brown earned the complete-game win for the Illini, while Baker struck out three in the complete-game effort for the Boilermakers.
Purdue returns to action at noon Sunday when the team welcomes the Iowa Hawkeyes to the Varsity Softball Complex for a doubleheader.