April 13, 2007
MINNEAPOLIS - The Boilermaker softball team fought back from a 3-0 deficit and used a two-out RBI single in the ninth to take a 4-3 nine-inning victory from the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Purdue scored four runs on seven hits and three Gopher errors, while allowing Minnesota three runs on eight hits and two miscues. Junior Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) led the Boilermakers with a 2-for-4 day at the plate, including the game-tying RBI single in the seventh.
Senior Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) moved to 17-13 on the season with the complete-game victory, which included a season-high eight strikeouts. Briana Hassett went the distance for the Golden Gophers.
The Boilermakers took the lead with a run on a hit in the ninth. Sophomore Katie Mitchell (Crown Point, Ind.) drew a two-out walk. Hall joined her with a free pass of her own. Sophomore Candace Curtis (Danville, Calif.) drove in the run with a perfectly placed single in short center field. Hall went to third on the play and Curtis moved to second on the throw home. A strikeout, however, ended the rally.
The Golden Gophers put two on with two outs in the ninth as Shannon Stemper singled and Megan Higginbotham was intentionally walked, but a ground ball to the shortstop sealed the Purdue victory.
Freshman Jenna Alexander (Rancho Murieta, Calif.) tallied the first hit of the game with an infield single in the second, but was unable to score.
The Golden Gophers countered with a single of their own in the bottom of the inning, but also could not convert.
Minnesota struck first as Higginbotham hit a two-out home run in the third.
The Gophers added another run on two hits in the fourth. Minnesota loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a walk, then scored on a ground ball to the pitcher. Another ground out ended the inning without further damage.
The Boilermakers put a runner on in the fourth and five, but could not break onto the scoreboard. Curtis reached on a fielding error by the shortstop in the fourth. Sophomore Alicia Spack (West Lafayette, Ind.) continued her success with full-count pitches, sending a one-out single up the middle in the fifth. Spack went to second on a ground ball to first base, but was left stranded by another ground out.
Minnesota made it 3-0 with a run on a hit and an error in the bottom of the fifth. Higginbotham hit a double off the right field wall, which was then misplayed by the right fielder allowing her to score on the play.
Purdue got two runs back on two hits, a fielder's choice and an error in the sixth. Junior Hall singled up the middle to start the rally. She was then joined on base by Curtis, who walked. A single up the middle by freshman Kelsey Haupert (Olympia, Wash.) drove in Hall, while Curtis advanced to third on an error by the centerfielder. Pinch runners Kelly Miller (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Amy Butcher (Decatur, Ind.) replaced Curtis and Haupert on the base paths as Alexander stepped to the plate. Miller then stole second giving Purdue two runners in scoring position. Alexander delivered with a dribbler to the pitcher, who tried to catch Butcher in a rundown, but was unsuccessful as Butcher slid under the tag at the plate. Alexander and Miller advanced to second and third during the play, but were left stranded by a strikeout and pop up.
The Boilermakers kept the game going with a run on two hits and an error in the seventh. Senior Catherine Zaworski (Prospect Heights, Ill.) hit a sharp infield single and advanced to second on fielding error by the first baseman. A ground ball to the shortstop pushed her to third for Hall, who picked up the RBI with a two-out single up the middle.
The Gophers put a runner on second with a hit and a ground out in the bottom of the inning, but a strikeout sent the game to extra innings.
Purdue (22-25-1, 2-4 Big Ten) looks to wrap up the series sweep when they team face off at noon on Saturday.