April 25, 2008
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker softball team fell just shy of upsetting the No. 25 Iowa Hawkeyes Friday afternoon, losing a 3-2 contest. Senior Ashley Hall provided one highlight with her single-season record-tying seventh triple of the season, one which also secured her sole possession of the career triples record with 13.
The Boilermakers scored two runs on seven hits and two errors, while stranding seven runners in the loss. Iowa managed its three unearned runs on three hits and three Purdue miscues. Hall led the Boilermakers at the plate with a 2-for-4 effort and scored both of the team's runs.
Brittany Weil (21-11) earned the complete-game victory for Iowa, while freshman Suzie Rzegocki (14-7) struck out eight in the losing effort for Purdue.
Junior Candace Curtis sent a two-out single up the middle in the bottom of the first, marking the first hit of the contest, but was left stranded.
The Boilermakers threatened in the second as sophomore Jenna Alexander reached on a fielder's choice and sophomore Ashley Barr followed with a single to left field. A pair of strikeouts, however, kept the game in a scoreless tie.
Rzegocki faced just 12 batters through four innings and looked poised to work out of a fifth jam when the error bug bit the Boilermakers. With two outs and Hawkeye runners at first and third, Rzegocki forced a ground ball, but the shortstop's throw to first sailed wide, allowing a run. The following play, the Purdue catcher sent a ball into center field trying to prevent a would be stolen base, bringing the runner in from third. A ground ball that ricocheted off the glove off the third baseman made it 3-0 Iowa. The Boilermakers finally escaped the inning after catching a Hawkeye trying to steal second.
Purdue got one run back in the bottom of the inning as Hall tripled up the right field line and scored on the play as the second baseman's throw to third sailed into the Boilermaker dugout.
Sophomore Kelsey Haupert and Alexander singled in the sixth, but were left stranded as the Iowa third baseman snagged a screaming line drive to end the inning.
Hall gave the Boilermakers hope in the seventh with a two-out double to left. A wild pitch scooted her to third, from which she scored on a single up the middle by junior Kelly Miller. A strikeout ended the rally and the game.
Purdue (31-18, 6-7 Big Ten) looks to even the series and its conference record with a win against the Hawkeyes on Saturday. The first pitch of the Alumnae Day/Breast Cancer Awareness Day contest is slated for noon. Fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of the breast cancer cause.