April 15, 2008
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Valparaiso Crusaders kept Purdue from earning its 30th win of the season by taking a 4-1 eight-inning win in the night cap of Tuesday's doubleheader. The Crusaders won the game after registering three runs on a hit and an error in an international tie breaker inning, snapping a 1-1 tie.
Purdue scored its one run on five hits, while allowing Valparaiso four runs on four hits and four errrors. Sophomore Kelsey Haupert led the Boilermaker bats with a 2-for-3 performance.
Andrea Zappia (13-5) threw seven and two thirds innings for the Crusaders in the winning effort, while junior Dana Alcocer (16-8) struck out four in the complete game for Purdue.
The Crusaders combined a Purdue miscue and a double for a run in the opening stanza. A fielding error by the third baseman put Shannon Robinson aboard to start the game. She stole second and went to third on a ground out, before scoring on the two-bagger by Ashley Wolter. A strikeout ended the frame.
The Boilermakers loaded the bases in their half of the first, but could not manage a tally on the scoreboard. Junior Kelly Miller singled and went to third on a dying infield double by sophomore Kelsey Haupert. Junior Katie Mitchell was then intentionally walked, but a strikeout kept Purdue from capitalizing on the bases juiced opportunity.
Junior Candace Curtis evened the score with a single swing of the bat in the third, launching a solo home run to dead center field. The long ball was her eighth of the season.
Valparaiso put a runner on third in the sixth, but could not score. A leadoff double and a grounder gave the Crusaders the scoring opportunity, but a ground ball to the second baseman kept the game tied at 1-1.
A diving Jenna Alexander saved a run for the Boilermakers in the top of the seventh. Valparaiso had runners at second and third with nobody out, when Alcocer threw a wild pitch. Alexander rescued the ball off the backstop and dove toward the plate, tagging the runner amidst a cloud of dust. A pop up and grounder to second base kept the runner remaining at third from scoring.
The Boilermakers had a chance to end it in the bottom of the seventh as sophomore Ashley Barr singled and advanced to second on a fly ball, but a strikeout sent the game to extra innings.
Lisa Debruzzi was placed on second base to start Valparaiso's half of the eighth. Alicia Ashburn then singled to center field to drive in Debruzzi and give Valpo the 2-1 lead. A walk and a sacrifice gave the Crusaders runners at second and third with one out. The Boilermakers then tried for a fielder's choice play at the plate, but the ball tipped off the catcher's glove allowing two runs to score. A pop up and fielder's choice brought Purdue to the plate down 4-1.
Junior Christina Trauger was placed on second for the Boilermakers, but a pair of fly outs and a ground out left her stranded to end the game.
The Boilermakers (29-12) will aim to record their 30th win of the season on Wednesday when they travel to Muncie, Ind., to take on the Ball State Cardinals in a single game beginning at 4 p.m.