Feb. 25, 2012
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Purdue softball moved to 8-0 on the season with a 6-0 win over the host Chattanooga Lady Mocs on Saturday afternoon.
The Boilermakers scored their six runs on 10 hits and four Chattanooga errors, while managed five hits.
Sophomores Lindsey Rains and Andie Varsho and junior Maia Monchek posted two hits apiece to pace the Purdue bats.
Freshman Lexi Moore (5-0) struck out three in 5.1 innings of relief work en route to the win. Michelle Fuzzard (2-3) was saddled with the loss for the Lady Mocs.
The Boilermakers missed out on a scoring opportunity in the first as Garst walked, stole second and went to third on a grounder, but was left stranded.
Junior Ashley Courtney drew a two-out walk in the second. Monchek followed with a bloop single to left, which was then mishandled by the fielder to move the pair into scoring position. A ground ball to first base kept the scoreboard blank.
The Lady Mocs threatened in the bottom of the inning, but the Purdue defense held. Two walks and a single filled the bases. Monchek made a diving grab in left field for the first out. The runner at third left early marking the second out. A walk filled the bases again prompting a pitching change. Moore came in and forced a grounder to second base to escape the inning unscathed.
The Boilermakers batted around in the third, piling up five runs on six hits and leaving the bases full. Varsho, junior Erika Petruzzi and Rains filled the bases with one out to start the rally. Varsho and Rains singled, while Petruzzi reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. Sophomore Danielle Fletcher put Purdue on the board with a single to right center, scoring two. Freshman Ashley Burkhardt brought Rains home from third with a single through the right side. Courtney walked to load the bases for Monchek, who plated two with a single to shallow left center. Garst added a two-out single to refill the bases with Boilermakers, but a grounder to second base kept Purdue from adding to the 5-0 lead.
Chattanooga wasted singles in the third and fourth, stranding the two-out base runner both times.
The Boilermakers appeared to have something going in the fifth after an error and a single to the pitcher put Burkhardt and Courtney on base to start the inning. A fly ball to center field accounted for the first out. Burkhardt was initially called safe, sliding in under the tag at third, but on appeal was ruled out on the back end of a double play. Another fielding error put pinch hitter Kristin Morgan on, but a ground out stranded runners at the corners.
The Lady Mocs got a two-out triple from Cheyenne Willis, but couldn't bring her home.
Purdue added an insurance run in the sixth, combining hit from Varsho and Rains. Varsho singled, stole second and went to third on a grounder, setting up Rains, who delivered with an RBI double up the right line. Rains was tagged out at third trying to stretch the hit into a triple, then a liner to second base capped the inning with Purdue leading 6-0.
The Boilermakers went down in order in the seventh giving Chattanooga one final shot. The Lady Mocs got a two-out single, but a strikeout sealed the Purdue victory.
Purdue (8-0) wraps up the Frost Classic with an 11 a.m. Sunday contest with Troy.