March 29, 2009
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A third-inning home run supplied all the firepower the Boilermaker softball team needed to overcome the cold temperatures and blistering winds and even the weekend series with a 2-1 win over Minnesota on Sunday.
Purdue posted its two runs on seven hits, including 2-for-3 efforts by senior Katie Mitchell and freshman Molly Garst, while allowing Minnesota just one run on five hits and two errors. It was senior Candace Curtis, however, who supplied the game-winning hit for the Boilermakers, with the third inning bomb, her second of the season.
Sophomore Suzie Rzegocki (15-5) racked up five strikeouts in the complete-game victory, while Briana Hassett (19-12) struck out six Boilermakers in the losing effort for the Gophers.
Minnesota stranded a runner at third in the opening stanza after a hit, a walk and a Boilermaker throwing error.
Purdue got its first base runner as junior Liane Horiuchi drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning. A double play, however, nullified the free pass.
The Boilermakers left a runner in scoring position in the second. Junior Jenna Alexander posted a one-out single and moved to second as the shortstop kicked the ball into left field. A strikeout and grounder to the pitcher kept Purdue from capitalizing on the scoring opportunity.
The Gophers threatened in the third, but could not break the scoreless tie. A fielder's choice and a single put two on. A grounder to first base pushed the runners into scoring position, but the Boilermakers forced a pop up to end the inning.
Senior Kelly Miller hit a one-out single toward the shortstop in the third, then was sacrificed over to second. Curtis sent the first pitch from Hassett over the center field wall to make it 2-0. Mitchell followed with an infield single, but a strikeout left her on base at inning's end.
The Gophers stranded two in the fourth after a walk and a hit batsman.
Garst singled and stole second in the fourth, before advancing to third on a delayed fielder's choice by the pitcher. A double play, however, ended the scoring threat.
Minnesota managed a run on two hits in the sixth to snap the shutout bid. Shannon Stemper sent a one-out double into left field, then advanced to third on a ground out. A single to left by Brianna Sudenga drove in the run, before Rzegocki ended the inning with a strikeout.
Mitchell led off the sixth with a sharp double up the left field line and went to third on a single by Garst, but both were left on base by a strikeout.
A fielder's choice and a Boilermaker throwing error gave the Gophers runners at the corners with two outs in the seventh, but Garst handled a fly ball to right field for the final out of the game.
The Boilermakers (18-10, 3-1 Big Ten) return to action on Saturday, April 4, when they take on the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor, Mich. The game will air live on the Big Ten Network.