April 10, 2007
OXFORD, Ohio - It took eight innings, but the Boilermaker softball team downed the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks 4-2 in Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader. Sophomore Alicia Spack tallied her first career home run and a single-game record tying three walks as Purdue scored four runs on eight hits and three errors in the victory.
Junior Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) went 3-for-5 in the game to lead the Boilermaker bats, while Spack (West Lafayette, Ind.) reached base in all four of her plate appearances. Senior Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) struck out six in the complete-game win, while Meredith Linch (6-15) was saddled with the loss after tossing the final two innings for the Redhawks.
Purdue went up 4-2 with two runs on two hits in the top of the eighth. Spack got on base for the fourth time in the game with a one-out walk. The Redhawks intentionally walked sophomore Katie Mitchell (Crown Point, Ind.), then Hall singled up the middle to load the bases with two outs. Sophomore Candace Curtis (Danville, Ind.) picked up the RBI with a two-run seeing-eye single into the right center gap. A grounder to first left Hall and Mitchell stranded.
Miami kept hope alive as an error gave the team a base runner to begin the home half of the eighth. A fielder's choice accounted for the first out of the inning, then a pair of pop ups sealed the Purdue win.
The Redhawks posted the first hit of the game with a leadoff single by Halle Popson in the bottom of the first. Miami advanced her to third on a sacrifice and a ground out, but could not drive in the run.
The Boilermakers did much the same in the second as freshman Kelsey Haupert (Olympia, Wash.) led off with a single up the middle. Freshman Jenna Alexander (Rancho Murieta, Calif.) laid down a sacrifice to push Haupert into scoring position. Freshman Ashley Barr (Meridian, Idaho) moved her to third as she reached on a two-out throwing error by the shortstop. However, Barr took a hard turn toward second and was caught in a rundown trying to allow Haupert to score on the play.
Purdue combined a walk, a hit and an error for a run in the third. Sophomore Alicia Spack (West Lafayette, Ind.) drew the leadoff walk and was sacrificed to second by senior Catherine Zaworski (Prospect Heights, Ill.). Mitchell followed with a towering double that landed safely in short centerfield, pushing Spack to third. The next batter popped out to the catcher trying to advance the runners. The catcher then threw down to third, trying to catch Spack away from the base, but instead sent the ball into left field, allowing her to score instead. A grounder to second base kept Mitchell from scoring.
Miami tallied a hit and stranded one in the bottom of the inning.
Haupert took advantage of a throwing error by the shortstop to get on base in the fourth, then moved to second on a one-out sacrifice by senior Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.). A ground out, however, kept the Boilermakers from adding to their lead.
Spack continued her success at Miami Softball Field, tattooing a full-count pitch off the top of the foul pole for the first home run of her Boilermaker career. Purdue then loaded the bases with two outs. Mitchell reached on a fielder's choice before being joined on base by junior Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.), who singled to left center extending her current hit streak to 10 games. The pair pulled off the double steal, leaving first base open with two outs. The Redhawks promptly placed Haupert on board via intentional walk, before forcing a pop up to escape further damage.
The Redhawks capitalized on a Boilermaker miscue to jump onto the scoreboard in the fifth. Miami put runners on first and second with a walk and an infield single. Purdue got the force out at third on the following play, but the third baseman misfired on a throw to first looking to get the double play, allowing the lead runner to score from second. A ground ball to short got Purdue out of the inning with the 2-1 lead.
The Boilermakers threatened in the sixth, putting two on with two out against relief pitcher Kelly Cabana. Spack reached base with her second walk of the day and went to second on a Zaworski single to left, but a line drive to the shortstop kept Purdue from converting on the RBI opportunity.
Alicia Hogl evened the score with a single swing of the bat, sending a leadoff home run over the center field wall in the home half of the inning.
Miami switched pitchers again in the seventh as Linch took over in the circle. Hall promptly singled to left and was sacrificed to second, before Haupert drew a one-out walk. A pair of strikeouts, however, left both stranded, bringing the Redhawks to bat.
Miami went down in order to send the game to extra innings.
The Boilermakers (20-25-1) look to sweep the twin bill with a win in Game 2, which is slated for a 7:40 p.m. start.