March 15, 2009
BOCA RATON, Fla. - The Boilermaker softball team held off Bethune-Cookman for the majority of the game but wound up on the short end of a 3-2 extra-inning decision. An eighth-inning single accounted for the game-winning run for the Wildcats.
Bethune Cookman scored its three runs on four hits and a Boilermaker error, while Purdue managed two runs on eight hits and an error. Seven Purdue players combined for the hits led by senior Candace Curtis' 2-for-3 effort.
Allison Garcia earned the complete-game victory for the Wildcats, while sophomore Suzie Rzegocki struck out four in the complete-game for Purdue.
The Boilermakers combined a pair of two-out hits for a first-inning score. Sophomore Beth Cinadr doubled to left, then senior Katie Mitchell followed with a deep single to right to put Purdue on the board. After the hit, the ball got past the BCU right fielder allowing Mitchell to advance to second, but a ground ball left her stranded.
Senior Alicia Spack added a two-out single in the second and Curtis posted a third-inning single up the middle, but neither could make it in to score.
Junior Liane Horiuchi looped a two-out single up the right field line in the fifth, but was called for leaving the base early to end the inning.
Freshman Molly Garst made it 2-0 with a single to left center, bringing home Curtis, who singled to start the inning and moved to third on a sacrifice and a ground ball. Sophomore Shelby Krammer kept the hits coming with a single to left. The Boilermakers nearly added another hit, but the Wildcat shortstop made a diving grab to deny it.
After retiring the first 15 batters she faced, Rzegocki gave Bethune-Cookman its first base runner in the sixth as Briana Leverett drew a leadoff walk. A sacrifice and an infield single gave the Wildcats runners at the corners with one out. A ground ball to the shortstop moved both into scoring position. Simone Ceasar then singled to left to drive in one run. The left fielder misplayed the ball allowing a second run to score on the play. A fly ball kept the game tied.
Purdue went down in order in the seventh opening the door for BCU, who put two runners in scoring position, but could not convert. Garcia led off the inning by poking a single over the head of the Boilermaker shortstop. All hands were safe on a fielder's choice play, then a sacrifice moved both runners into scoring position. A pop up and a ground ball to the pitcher, however, brought on an extra stanzas.
Horiuchi was placed on second to start the eighth inning for Purdue due to the international tie breaker rule. Senior Candace Curtis laid down a sacrifice to push her to third, but a ground out and foul out kept the Boilermakers from snapping the 2-2 stalemate.
Tameika Jonas was placed on second in the bottom of the inning for Bethune Cookman. A wild pitch moved her to third, then a one-out single to left by Ashton Hinds capped the game at 3-2.
The Boilermakers (12-8) return to action at 6 p.m. Monday when they take on Florida Atlantic in a doubleheader to wrap up the non-conference season.