April 4, 2009
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The Boilermakers pushed No. 10 Michigan into extra innings, but could not pull off the upset. The Wolverines won the game 4-3 with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth.
Michigan scored its four runs on nine hits and two Purdue miscues, while the Boilermakers managed three runs on six hits and one Wolverine error. Six different Purdue players accounted for the team's hits.
Nikki Nemitz (17-5) tossed the final three and two third innings for the Wolverines en route to the victory, while sophomore Suzie Rzegocki struck out two in the complete game effort for Purdue. Jordan Taylor started the game for Michigan, allowing three runs in five and one third innings.
The Boilermakers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, plating a run on a hit in the opening stanza. Junior Liane Horiuchi was hit by a pitch to start the game, then stole second. Sophomore Beth Cinadr drove her in with a double to right center.
Michigan took the lead with two runs on a hit and an error in the second. The Wolverines loaded the bases with nobody out in the inning. A fielder's choice play at the plate accounted for the first out, then a sacrifice fly plated a run to tie the score. Bree Evans hit a ball toward the third baseman, who couldn't make a clean play on the ball, allowing another run to come home. The Boilermakers recovered and were able to get an out on the play as the Wolverines tried to advance the runners.
Junior Jenna Alexander supplied a two-out single to even the score in the third. Horiuchi set up the RBI opportunity with a leadoff triple to deep left field. Curtis walked and stole second to put two in scoring position. A pair of strikeouts brought Alexander to the plate. She pushed the base hit through the left side, bringing Horiuchi home, but Curtis was tagged at the plate trying to give Purdue the lead.
A two-out fielding error gave the Wolverines a 3-2 lead in the fourth. Dorian Shaw doubled to center field with one out, before scoring on a fielding error by the first baseman on what would have been the third out of the stanza. A grounder to the pitcher wrapped up the stanza.
The Boilermakers had two runners in scoring position in the fifth, but could not bring them home. Horiuchi drew a one-out walk and stole second. Curtis then reached on a dropped third strike, which sent Horiuchi to third. A grounder to second base pushed Curtis to second, but another ground ball to the second baseman stranded two.
Michigan had runners at the corners with two outs in the fifth, but a running grab by Cinadr, the right fielder, got Purdue out of the jam.
Back-to-back doubles by freshman Molly Garst and senior Alicia Spack tied it up at 3-3 in the sixth and also prompted a Wolverine pitching change. Nikki Nemitz took over in the circle after the score. Garst sent a pitch up the left field line for a one-out double. Spack followed with a two-bagger to the left center gap. Spack went to third on a grounder to third, but was left stranded by another.
The Wolverines got a base runner on a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh. A pop up accounted for the inning's second out. Roya St. Clair popped a single into center field, but the runner tried to score on the play and was tagged out to send the game to extra innings.
The Boilermakers went down in order in the eighth, and the Wolverines stranded a runner who had been hit by a pitch, bringing the game to its ninth inning.
Senior Kelly Miller slapped a single to the shortstop with two outs in the ninth, but was called for leaving the base early on a steal attempt to bring Michigan to the plate.
A bunt single by Bree Evans gave the Wolverines a base runner to start the ninth. A sacrifice moved her to second. A walk put another runner on, but a strikeout accounted for the second out. St. Clair looped a single into right field to score Evans from second and wrap up the game at 4-3 Michigan.
The Boilermakers (18-12, 3-3 Big Ten) return to action at 3 p.m. Wednesday when they take on Michigan State in a doubleheader.