March 3, 2013
SAN MARCOS, Texas - The Purdue softball team rounded out a 5-0 weekend, taking the CenturyLink Classic title with a 7-2 win over the host Texas State Bobcats on Sunday morning. The Boilermakers, now 11-9, return to action on Saturday when they face off with the Baylor Bears in Waco.
The Boilermakers scored early in the game and again late in the 7-2 win, piling up nine hits, including multi-hit days by sophomore Ashley Burkhardt and junior Lindsey Rains.
Senior Erika Petruzzi (2-1) picked up the win after throwing the final four innings for the Boilermakers. Sophomore Lexy Moore struck allowed just three hits in the first three stanza before exiting the game. Ashley Wright (3-5) was saddled with the loss for Texas State, giving up seven runs in six and a third innings of work.
A grand slam and solo home run put the Boilers up 5-0 in the first inning. The Boilermakers loaded the bases to start the game and junior Danielle Fletcher made the Bobcats pay launching a towering one-out grand slam over the center field wall. The hit scored sophomore Ashley Burkhardt who laced a single through the left side, junior Lindsey Rains who looped a single into shallow left field and junior Andie Varsho who walked. Junior Tori Chiodo made it 5-0 lifting a two-out solo shot to center field.
After giving up a leadoff single and a walk, the Boilermaker defense turned a double play and forced a popup to escape unscathed.
Purdue put two runners in scoring position in the second after a pair of hits and a walk. Freshman Mary Gooding led off with a single, but was later caught stealing. Burkhardt sent a single up the right field line, Rains walked and grounder pushed them to second and third, but a deep fly ball prevented the Boilermakers from capitalizing on the scoring chance.
Texas State put runners at the corners in the second with a two-out double and a single, but stranded them with a fly out.
Both teams went down in order in the third and fourth. Purdue snapped the streak as Varsho ripped a one-out single up the middle in the fifth. A grounder moved her to second, where she was left stranded.
The Bobcats snapped the shutout bid in the fifth on three hits. A pair of singles and a ground out gave Texas State runners at the corners. A single to the shortstop brought the run home.
The Boilermakers got the run back in the sixth on a hit and an error. Chiodo reached and went to third on an error by the left fielder. Junior Lauren Grant picked up the RBI with a grounder to second base the next play.
Texas State combined a double and two ground outs for a score in the bottom of the inning. A leadoff double and a grounder to first put a runner on third. A ground ball to third base brought in the run.
Purdue went up 7-2 in the seventh inning. Burkhardt led off with a single up the middle and went to third on a fielder's choice play at second. Rayn House entered the game to pitch for the Bobcats and threw a wild pitch, allowing Burkhardt to scamper home.
Petruzzi sat down Texas State in order in the seventh to clinch the game. A liner, ground out and fly out capped the win.