April 22, 2008
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The pitchers' dual between Purdue and Notre Dame came down to an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. Junior Christina Trauger supplied the hit up the middle to drive in the run and give the Boilermakers a 1-0 win in Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader.
Purdue scored its run on five hits, while holding the Fighting Irish to just four hits. Freshman Suzie Rzegocki sat down 11 batters in a row to end the game, while striking out seven in the complete-game victory. Brittney Bargar dropped to 22-10 on the season with the loss.
Senior Ashley Hall started things offensively for the Boilermakers with a single through the right side. A fielder's choice, strike out and pop up followed, however, to nullify the hit.
Sophomore Jenna Alexander doubled and sophomore Ashley Barr followed with an infield single in the second. A pass ball moved the pair into scoring position, but they were unable to score.
The Irish loaded the bases with one out in the third, but the Boilermaker defense held. Rzegocki struck out three batters in the stanza.
Sophomore Kelsey Haupert sent a leadoff single up the middle in the fourth and was sacrificed to second, but to no avail.
A double, a bunt single and a stolen base gave Notre Dame two runners in scoring position with one out in the fourth, but Rzegocki forced a pop up and a strikeout to escape unscathed.
The Boilermakers had another scoring opportunity in the sixth as junior Kelly Miller reached on a fielding error by the shortstop and junior Candace Curtis walked. A sacrifice moved both into scoring position, but a double play kept the game tied at 0-0.
The Irish went down in order in the seventh opening the door for Purdue. Alexander drew a leadoff walk. Pinch runner Amy Butcher was then sacrificed over to second, setting the table for Trauger's game-winning base knock.
Purdue (31-16) will look to secure the sweep with a win in Game 2 of the doubleheader.