Feb. 21, 2009
AUBURN, Ala. - The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders had the Boilermakers' number in all phases of the game on Saturday, topping Purdue 11-4. A 6:30 p.m. contest with Austin Peay offer the Boilermakers a chance at salvaging the day.
Middle Tennessee scored its 11 runs on 17 hits and four Purdue miscues, while allowing the Boilermakers four runs on seven hits and three errors. The 17 hits tie the most ever allowed by a Purdue side, matching the tally by Michigan on March 25, 1995.
Senior Candace Curtis led the Boilermakers at the plate with a 2-for-4 effort, while senior Christina Trauger accounted for two of the team's three RBI.
Caty Jutson (1-3) picked up the win for Middle Tennessee, while sophomore Suzie Rzegocki (3-2) was saddled with the loss despite striking out nine in six innings of work.
The Boilermakers loaded the bases in the first, but could not capitalize. Junior Liane Horiuchi was hit by a pitch to start the stanza, then stole second. Sophomore Beth Cinadr reached on a fielding error by the second baseman allowing Horiuchi to go to third. Cinadr stole second and junior Jenna Alexander promptly filled the opening at first as she was hit by a pitch with two outs. A close play at first on a ground ball capped the inning, keeping the game scoreless.
After stranding a runner on second in each of the first two innings, the Blue Raiders finally made good on an RBI opportunity, scoring three runs on two hits and two errors in the third. A throwing error by the third baseman, a bunt single and a walk loaded the bases with one out. Another walk put Middle Tennessee on the board. A Jutson single and an error by the shortstop allowed two more runs to score. A fielder's choice and a strikeout prevented any further damage.
Curtis posted Purdue's first hit of the game with a one-out double to left center in the third inning. A ground ball advanced her to third, but a strikeout left her stranded at the close of the inning.
Middle Tennesee made it 4-0 with a run on two hits in the fifth. Martha Davis led off with a single up the middle, then scored from first on a two-out double to right center by Kelsey Dortch. A caught foul ball accounted for the inning's third out.
The Blue Raiders tacked on two more runs on four hits in the sixth. A pair of singles started the stanza, then Shelby Barrett doubled to drive in both. The hit prompted a Boilermaker pitching change as senior Ashley DiDomenico took over in the circle for Rzegocki. DiDomenico punched out three of the next four batters, including one strikeout, to bring Purdue to the plate.
The Boilermakers answered with two runs on three hits of their own in the bottom of the inning. Alexander singled, then pinch runner Kaity Stratten went to second on a ground ball. Freshman Molly Garst singled to center to push Stratten third.Trauger cut the deficit to two with a two-run double off the centerfield wall. She then went to third on a ground out, but she was unable to score.
Three Boilermaker pitchers had a shot at Middle Tennessee in the seventh, but it wasn't until the Blue Raiders had piled up five runs on six hits that the team was able to get out of the inning. MTSU combined four singles for a run, before freshman Katie Hackney made her first collegiate appearance in the circle. She took two of the three batters she faced to full counts, but allowed a walk and two hits as four runs scored. Rzegocki then resumed the pitching role, striking out one and forcing two pop ups to end the inning.
Curtis led off Purdue's half of the seventh with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a fly ball to left. A ground out and strikeout, however, stranded her and ended Purdue's comeback hopes.
The Boilermakers (4-4) return to action at 6:30 p.m. ET when they take on Austin Peay.