March 17, 2007
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Boilermaker bats produced 10 runs on 10 hits and five Santa Clara errors, as the Purdue softball team downed the Broncos 10-0 Saturday morning. The Sacramento sun continues to agree with the Boilermakers, namely freshman Kelsey Haupert, who posted her third home run in as many games in the contest.
Sophomore Kelly Miller (Indianapolis, Ind.) went 3-for-3 at the plate, while Haupert (Olympia, Wash.) and sophomore Katie Mitchell (Crown Point, Ind.) each tallied two hits. Senior Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) nudged ever closer to the career top five for home runs with her 15th career dinger in the game.
Senior Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) posted her fourth straight victory in a complete game effort, moving to 8-10 on the season. Starter Jerrica Castagno (2-8) was charged with the loss after allowing six runs in 1.2 innings.
The Boilermakers put two aboard in the opening stanza as junior Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) and freshman Ashley Barr (Meridian, Idaho) reached on back-to-back errors. Hall went to third as Barr reached on the sacrifice attempt, then scored as Barr was caught over-sliding second on a double-steal attempt.
Santa Clara posted their first hit of the game on a Angela Kabanuck single to left in the bottom of the inning. Kabanuck stole second, but could not score.
Haupert gave Purdue a 2-0 lead with a lead-off home run to right center in the second stanza. Peterson was hit by a pitch, then went to third as Miller put down a two-out bunt single and went to second on a throwing error by the catcher. Hall walked to load the bases. Barr fought through a nine-pitch at bat and came through with a single over the head of the third baseman, plating two runs. Mitchell followed with a single to left, scoring Hall from second and prompting a SCU pitching change. Sara Overmeir took over in the circle, but the Boilermakers continued their hit parade. Senior DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) singled to left and went to second on throw home as Barr scored. A ground out wrapped up the rally.
The Broncos threatened with two hits in the third, but again the Boilermakers held off a score.
Miller led off the fourth with another bunt single and advanced to third on a sacrifice and a ground out. A single up the middle by Mitchell made it 7-0 Purdue.
The Boilermakers capped the game with three runs on three hits and two errors in the fifth. Haupert sent a one-out single through the left side then scored as Peterson launched a long ball to right field. Freshman Jenna Alexander (Rancho Murieta, Calif.) then reached on an error by the shortstop. Pinch runner Christina Trauger (Santa Rosa, Calif.) went to second on Miller's third hit of the game, a slow roller to third base. Hall reached on a fielding error by the first baseman and advanced to second on the play, allowing Trauger to score. Santa Clara went down in order to seal the run-rule victory for Purdue.
The Boilermakers (11-21) look to pick up their fifth-straight win when they take on Georgia Southern at 5:30 p.m. (PST).