Feb. 15, 2009
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Boilermaker softball team used a variety of offensive tools in its 4-1 win over Appalachian State Sunday morning, while sophomore Suzie Rzegocki held strong in the circle, striking out six and allowing just two hits.
Purdue tallied its four runs on four hits and three Mountaineers errors, while ASU scored one run on two hits and two Boilermaker miscues.
Four different players accounted for the Boilermaker hits, while the team also accumlated seven stolen bases, including a game-record tying three each by junior Liane Horiuchi and freshman Molly Garst.
Rzegocki moved to 3-1 on the season with the win after striking out six in the complete game effort. Kayla Richardson (1-2) was saddled with the loss for Appalachian State.
Katie Boyd tallied the game's first hit with a two-out double in the opening stanza, but was left stranded.
The Boilermakers put two on in the bottom of the inning, but also to no avail. Horiuchi was hit by a pitch and stole second. Senior Katie Mitchell then drew a two-out walk, but a fly ball left both on the basepaths.
Purdue broke onto the scoreboard in the second combining a hit, a ground out and a walk for a run. Junior Ashley Barr walked to start the inning and moved to second on a ground ball to the pitcher. Sophomore Shelby Krammer made good on the RBI opportunity, lasering a single to right as the speedy Barr raced home.
Sophomore Beth Cinadr tacked another run onto Purdue's tally with a solo shot to left field in the third.
A Boilermaker fielding error gave ASU a runner in the fourth, but the Purdue defense recovered, recording three straight outs to escape unscathed.
Garst sent a one-out single up the middle in the fourth, but could not make it around to score.
Horiuchi added a run in the fifth all on her own with a single, two stolen bases and an error. The junior started the inning with a single to third base. She then swiped second and third and advanced home as the catcher's throw to third sailed into left field.
Heads up base running and defensive miscues in the sixth made it 4-0 Purdue. Barr reached on a fielding error by the first baseman and advanced to second as the Mountaineers recovered the ball from right field. A fielding error by the shortstop put Garst aboard and pushed Barr over to third. The Boilermakers then pulled off a double steal. Barr broke for home, drawing a throw from the catcher, which sailed into left field as the base was uncovered by an ASU player, while Garst also advanced safely. The freshman then swiped third, but was left stranded.
Appalachian State spoiled Purdue's shutout bid as Katie Boyd launched a solo home run to right center to start the seventh, but it was too little to late as two strikeouts and a ground out wrapped up the Boilermaker win.
Purdue (4-2) closes out its stay in Tallahassee, Fla., with an 11:15 a.m. meeting against the host Florida State Seminoles.