March 1, 2014
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - A three-run sixth inning lifted the Houston Cougars over the Boilermaker softball team on Saturday night. Purdue will have a chance to avenge the 4-2 loss as the teams meet again at noon ET Sunday.
Houston scored its four runs on six hits and two errors, while the Boilers put up two runs on five hits and three errors. Junior Ashley Burkhardt led the Purdue bats with a 2-for-4 effort.
Summer Groholski (4-1) was credited with the win after going five and two thirds innings for Houston, while Diedre Outon earned the save, closing out the game no allowing a hit in the final inning and a third. Sophomore Lilly Fecho (3-6) struck out five in the loss.
The Boilers had bases loaded with one out in the first inning, but could not push a run across. Senior Maia Monchek reached on a fielder's choice that nullified Andie Varsho's leadoff walk. Burkhardt singled and senior Lindsey Rains reached on an errant play on a fielder's choice. A strikeout and a fielder's choice play at second base kept the game tied at 0-0.
Houston combined a pair of singles to the right center gap for a run in the second.
Varsho and Burkhardt had singles in the third, but a double play kept Purdue from capitalizing on the hits.
A double, a fielder's choice and a sac fly put Purdue on the board and tied the game at 1-1. Freshman Kristen Hoppman reached on an error to start the inning. Sophomore Mary Gooding hit a double just inside the left field line and advanced to third on a fielder's choice play, which saw Hoppman out in a close play at the plate. Sophomore CJ Parsons picked up the RBI with a fly ball to center.
The Cougars scored three unearned runs in the sixth. A fielding error and a single put runners at the corners. A double steal brought in the first run. Another fielding miscue and another steal gave Houston two runners in scoring position with nobody out. A two-RBI single to the left center gap with one away made it 4-1.
Gooding drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the inning, but was out on a fielder's choice that put senior Danielle Fletcher aboard. Sophomore CJ Parsons followed with a walk bumping Fletcher to second, where Sydney Pencek came in to pinch run. Freshman Katy McJunkin registered a pinch-hit single up the middle to bring in Pencek and make it 4-2. Outon took over in the circle and forced a fly out to end the inning.
Both teams went down in order in the seventh inning to wrap up the contest.