April 22, 2007
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker softball team put up four runs in the opening stanza and held off a comeback effort from Michigan State, en route to a 4-3 victory in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader.
Purdue scored four runs on five hits and two MSU miscues, while allowing the Spartans just three runs on 11 hits. Freshman Jenna Alexander (Rancho Murieta, Calif.) went 2-for-3 to lead the Boilermakers, while senior DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) posted a triple in her lone at-bat of the game.
The Boilermakers scored first with four runs on four hits and an error in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Katie Mitchell (Crown Point, Ind.) drew a lead off walk and went to third on a sacrifice by junior Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.), before scoring on an RBI single by sophomore Candace Curtis (Danville, Calif.). Curtis crossed the plate on a single to right by Alexander. Johnson plated two more runs with a standup triple, driving in Curtis and freshman Ashley Barr (Meridian, Idaho) who singled.
The Spartans snapped the shutout with a run on three hits in the top of the sixth. A trio of singles loaded the bases, the last of which knocked senior Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) out of the game with an injury. Sophomore Ashley DiDomenico (Youngstown, Ohio) took over in the circle and gave up a walk to put MSU on the board, but forced a fly out to end the inning.
Michigan State made one last effort at a comeback, plating two runs on four hits in the top of the seventh. A single gave the Spartans a base runner. Meghan Darhower followed with a two-run home run to left. A pair of singles put runners at first and second with no outs, but the Purdue defense recorded three straight outs on a fielder's choice, a pop up and a fly out to seal the win.
Baker (21-15) struck out two in the winning effort, while DiDomenico earned Purdue's first save of the season. Lesley Noel, who gave up four runs and four hits in the opening three innings for the Spartans, was saddled with the loss. Megan Hair allowed just one hit in three innings of relief.
The Boilermakers look to finish the series sweep in Game 2 of the doubleheader.