Feb. 24, 2008
GREENVILLE, N.C. - A balanced offensive attack paced the Boilermaker softball team in a 6-2 win over Syracuse Sunday morning. The victory extended Purdue's win streak to six games and moved the team to 8-2 on the season, the program's best start since 2001 (11-2).
Purdue scored six runs on eight hits and three Orange miscues, while allowing Syracuse two runs on four hits and an error. Senior Ashley Hall and junior Kelly Miller tallied multi-hit efforts with two hits apiece.
Junior Dana Alcocer (4-1) picked up her second straight victory, striking out three in the complete game effort. Brittany Gardner, meanwhile, dropped to 0-2 on the season for the Orange.
Purdue loaded the bases with two walks and a hit by pitch in the opening stanza, but came up empty.
Syracuse, however, put up two runs on two hits in the bottom of the inning. Both runs came in on a Rachel Tilford double to deep left field.
The Boilermakers responded with five runs on four hits and two Orange miscues in the second. Junior Alicia Spack drew a leadoff walk. The team then attempted to sacrifice her around the bases, but wound up with additional base runners as Syracuse mishandled both bunts. Spack scored on the second miscue. Hall gave Purdue the lead with a two-run single up the middle. Sophomore Ashley Barr brought Hall home with an RBI single of her own. Freshman Beth Cinadr singled to the pitcher, putting runners at the corners. Barr was caught in a rundown trying to steal home, but Cinadr took third on the play. Junior Katie Mitchell made it 5-2 with a double off the left field wall.
A third inning sacrifice fly add another run to Purdue's tally. Miller doubled and went to third on a Hall single, before scoring on the fly ball off the bat of Barr.
The Boilermakers stranded six runners over the next four innings, but allowed Syracuse just one hit in the final innings en route to the victory.
Purdue (8-2) is slated to play Appalachian State at 1 p.m. to wrap up its stay at the Pirate Classic.