April 15, 2007
MADISON, Wis. - The Boilermaker softball team mounted a seventh-inning rally, but came up just short of a come-from-behind win over Wisconsin in Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader. The Badgers held off Purdue for a 6-5 victory.
The Boilermakers trailed 6-3 entering bottom of the seventh, but managed two runs on four hits and had the tying run on first base at the close of the contest. Freshman Ashley Barr (Meridian, Idaho) started things off with a single to the shortstop, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Sophomore Katie Mitchell (Crown Point, Ind.) drove her in with a single down the left field line. Leah Vanevenhoven came in to pitch to junior Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.), but Hall won the lefty-on-lefty matchup with a single to center field, which pushed Mitchell to second. The next batter hit a line drive at the second baseman and the umpire called Hall out in a close play tagging up at first. Freshman Kelsey Haupert (Olympia, Wash.) hit a two-out single to center field to make it 6-5. A deep fly ball to left field accounted for the final out.
Purdue scored five runs on 10 hits, while allowing Wisconsin six runs on eight hits and four errors. Hall went 4-for-4 to lead the Boilermaker bats, while Mitchell and Barr each tallied two hits.
Eden Brock (11-7) earned the victory after tossing six innings, while Letty Olivarez picked up the save. Sophomore Ashley DiDomenico (Youngstown, Ohio) was saddled with the loss after tossing the first two stanzas of the game.
The Boilermakers jumped on the scoreboard with two runs on two hits and an error in the bottom of the first. Mitchell led off with a single up the middle, then went to second on a single up the left line by Hall. Haupert (Olympia, Wash.) reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, allowing Mitchell to score and pushing Hall to third. A fielder's choice put freshman Jenna Alexander (Rancho Murieta, Calif.) aboard as the Badgers went for the out at second, allowing Hall to score. A strikeout wrapped up the stanza.
The Badgers got one run back in the top of the first as they combined a Ricci Robben lead off double to right center and a Theresa Boruta single up the middle for the score.
In the bottom of the inning, senior Catherine Zaworski (Prospect Heights, Ill.) hit a one-out single up the middle and was sacrificed to second, but could not score.
Wisconsin took the lead with four runs on three hits and three Purdue miscues in the third. A pair of singles prompted a Purdue pitching change as senior Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) took over in the circle. A sacrifice moved the runners into scoring position, then a fielding error by the second baseman on a squeeze attempt allowing two runs to score. A single through the left side scored another run, then a throwing error by the pitcher on a sacrifice attempt with runners on first and second made it 5-2.
The Boilermakers added a run to their tally on one hit and an error in the fourth. Senior Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) drew a one-out walk. Zaworski reached on a fielder's choice and went to second on a throwing error by the shortstop. Barr brought her home with a double up left field line. A pop up kept Barr from scoring
Purdue had another scoring opportunity in the fifth as Hall singled to right field and went to third on a sacrifice and a ground ball to the pitcher. A grounder to the shortstop kept the Boilermakers from taking advantage of the opportunity.
The Badgers made it 6-3 with a run on two hits and an error in the top of the seventh. Samantha Polito singled then went to third on a pair of sacrifices. A single to center by Robben accounted for the run. A swinging strikeout and a ground out got Purdue out of the inning without further damage.
Purdue returns to action on Tuesday when the team takes on IUPUI in a road doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.