March 21, 2009
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Senior first baseman Katie Mitchell launched her career-record tying 32nd home run as Purdue downed Wisconsin 5-0 in the Boilermakers' home and conference opener Saturday.
Purdue racked up its five runs on eight hits, each by a different player, while allowing the Badgers just three hits in the contest. Mitchell's long ball tied the senior with Katie Crabtree (1999-2002) and Heidi Foster (2000-2003) for the Purdue career home run mark with 32.
Sophomore Suzie Rzegocki rung up nine Wisconsin batters via strikeout in the complete game victory, while Letty Olivarez struck out three Boilermakers in a losing effort.
Livi Abney poked a two-out single through the left side in the opening stanza, but a grounder to third kept the Badgers off the scoreboard.
The Boilermakers put together a one-out rally of its own in the bottom of the stanza, coming up with three runs on three hits. Senior Candace Curtis got things started with a single up the middle. Freshman Molly Garst followed with a single through the left side. Mitchell drew a walk to fill the bases for junior Jenna Alexander. Alexander made good on the RBI opportunity, sending a double into deep left center and clearing the bases.
Olivarez was hit by a pitch to start the second, but Rzegocki K'ed three in a row to end the inning.
Senior Kelly Miller singled in the second, but was left stranded.
The Badgers put runners at the corners with two outs in the third, but heads up defense kept the shutout in tact. Katie Soderberg drew a leadoff walk and went to third on a pair of sacrifices, before being joined by Abney, who was hit by a pitch. Wisconsin then attempted a double steal, drawing a throw to second, but shortstop Candace Curtis gunned the ball to first to hold the runner back and Mitchell in turn fired home, where Alexander applied the tag for the inning's third out.
The Boilermakers strung together a pair of hits in the fouth, but could not manage a run. Sophomore Shelby Krammer tallied a leadoff single to right, but a double play nullified the hit. Junior Ashley Barr added a single to left, but could not make it home.
Purdue tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the fifth. Junior Liane Horiuchi powered a triple to right center to lead off the stanza. Curtis pushed a run across with a sacrifice fly to right. Mitchell then launched her record-tying home run with two outs in the inning to make it 5-0.
Sophomore Beth Cinadr was hit by a pitch to kick off the Purdue half of the sixth. She then stole second and advanced to third on a ground out, but a liner to the shortstop kept her from scoring.
Theresa Boruta gave the Badgers hope in the seventh with a one-out infield single. A pop up and Rzegocki's ninth K of the game sealed the Purdue win.
The Boilermakers (15-8, 1-0 Big Ten) will face the Badgers again at 2 p.m. Sunday.