March 21, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Boilermaker softball team started the Big Ten season with a 10-3 victory over Penn State, marking its fourth straight win.
Purdue put up its 10 runs on 10 hits and two errors, while PSU scored its three runs on nine hits and two errors. Seniors Andie Varsho and Tori Chiodo and sophomore Paris Andrew tallied two hits apiece in the contest.
Sophomore Lilly Fecho (11-8) struck out five in the complete-game victory. Three PSU pitchers saw action in the game, with starter Marlaina Laubach (4-7) taking the loss. Laubach gave up five runs in three innings of work. Marissa Diescher went three and two thirds, allowing five runs. Christy Von Pusch recorded the final out. The Nittany Lion pitchers allowed Purdue a school record 11 walks in the game, besting the previous record of nine which had been drawn five times.
The Boilers loaded the bases in the first inning, but could not push a run across. Senior Andie Varsho drew a leadoff walk and went to third with a stolen base and a wild pitch. Senior Tori Chiodo joined her on base with a one-out walk and evaded a tag to swipe second. With two outs, PSU opted to intentionally walk junior Ashley Burkhardt to fill the bases. A strikeout kept Purdue from cashing in on the RBI chance.
Penn State scored first, putting up a run on a hit in the bottom of the first. The Nittany Lions drew a leadoff walk and stole second before using a two-out double to plate the game's first run.
Purdue took a 2-1 lead in the second inning, courtesy of a two-run bomb by Varsho. The two-out home run, Varsho's first of the season, scored freshman Katie McJunkin, who drew a leadoff walk.
PSU threatened with a pair of two-out hits in the second, but a ground ball to the shortstop ended the stanza.
The Boilermakers added two more walks in the third, but could not capitalize on the free passes to Chiodo and Burkhardt.
Purdue tacked on four runs on four hits and an error in the fourth. Varsho drove in the first run with an RBI single, while Chiodo dished up a three-run homer to center field to round out the scoring. Varsho's hit followed an error that put sophomore Mary Gooding on and a single by sophomore Paris Andrew.
The Nittany Lions paired a triple and a sacrifice fly to get one run back in the bottom of the fourth. A leadoff triple immediately followed by the fly ball to center accounted for the run.
Both teams stranded runners in scoring position in the fifth. Andrew picked up her second hit of the game with a double and went to third on a ground out in the Boilers' half of the inning, while Penn State put two on with an error and a double.
The Boilermakers added four insurance runs on four hits and an error in the seventh. McJunkin led off with a single. Varsho kept the inning going with a two-out walk and senior Lindsey Rains singled to fill the bases. Chiodo cleared the bases with a double to the left field. Senior Danielle Fletcher then brought Chiodo home with a double of her own, this one toeing the left field line. Fletcher went to third on a wild pitch, then junior Ashley Burkhardt and pinch hitter Kristen Hoppman joined her with walks. A strikeout kept Purdue from adding to the 10-2 lead.
Penn State mounted a two-out rally in the seventh, squeaking across one run on four hits and an error, before a Fecho strikeout capped the game. A pair of singles and a throwing error put runners at first and third, when a bunt single brought in the run. Another single filled the bases, before Fecho tallied her fifth K of the game to seal the 10-3 win.
The Boilermakers (14-16-1, 1-0 Big Ten) return to action at 3 p.m. Saturday when they face the Nittany Lions in a doubleheader to wrap up the series.