April 22, 2014
Complete Release in PDF Format
The Slate
Boilermaker Softball Complex - West Lafayette, Ind. ~ Goodman Diamond - Madison, Wis.
Live Stats: purduesports.com
Wednesday, April 23
1 p.m. vs. #4 Michigan (DH)
Radio: Listen
Friday, April 25?
5 p.m. vs. Wisconsin
TV: BTN
PxP: Lisa Byington; Color: Jennie Ritter
Saturday, April 26
3 p.m. vs. Wisconsin
Sunday, April 27
1 p.m. vs. Wisconsin
The Book on the Boilermakers
At First Glance: Purdue (24-21-1, 11-4 Big Ten) has won 14 of its last 19 games dating to March 16 and has taken each of its first five Big Ten series. The team returns 17 players from its 2013 squad which posted a 21-32 mark, an 8-14 Big Ten mark and Big Ten Tournament second round appearance. Seven position starters and three starting pitchers return, while five newcomers join the roster. Head coach Kim Schuette is in her first season with the Boilermakers after spending the last eight years as head coach at Eastern Illinois.
Last Time Out: The Boilermakers won the season series with Illinois 2-1. Purdue took the first two games 11-0 (5) and 1-0, but fell 3-2 in the finale.
Statistically Speaking: Outfielder Andie Varsho leads the Boilermaker bats with a .448 average, 40 runs, 13 doubles and 22 stolen bases. Six other starters are batting .250 or better. Designated player Katy McJunkin (.371), catcher Danielle Fletcher (.354), first baseman Ashley Burkhardt (.347), infielder Tori Chiodo (.336), catcher/outfielder Maia Monchek (.277) and outfielder Lindsey Rains (.269) round out the group. Fletcher has driven in 34 RBI, while registering eight home runs and 11 doubles. Burkhardt has driven in a team-best 36 RBI and boasts 12 doubles and eight home runs. Chiodo has driven in 35 RBI and scored 27 runs, while also launching seven home runs and stealing seven bases. Rains adds 19 RBI, 22 runs, three homers and eight steals. As a team, the Boilers are batting .308 with 34 home runs and 56 stolen bases.
In the circle, the Purdue staff has combined for 247 strikeouts in 298 innings. Sophomore Lilly Fecho (18-10) has done the bulk of the pitching, striking out 169 batters in 171 innings, including 22 complete games. Junior Lexy Moore (4-9) has added 48 Ks in 72 innings, while junior Alex Whittemore (2-2) has issued 19 Ks in 38 innings, including a complete-game no-hitter. Senior Lauren Grant has struck out 11 batters in 16 innings.
Series Information
Michigan (Michigan leads the series 42-2): The Wolverines won the first nine meetings in the series which began on March 25, 1995. Purdue took its first contest in Game 2 of an April 8, 1997 double header in West Lafayette. Michigan won 17 in a row from 1998 to 2006, when Purdue halted the streak with a 5-4 win in the nightcap of an April 9 doubleheader in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines have won the last 16 games heading into Wednesday's twin bill. Purdue is 1-23 vs. Michigan in West Lafayette and 1-19 in Ann Arbor. The last eight meetings have taken place in Ann Arbor. (2011-2013).
Wisconsin (Purdue leads the series 25-15): The Boilermakers won the first seven meetings in the series with the Badgers, which began on April 6, 1996. Wisconsin countered, taking eight of the next 11 from 1998 to 2002. Purdue snapped the streak with three straight wins. The teams split the next eight games from 2004 to 2007. The Boilers have taken eight of the last 11 games, including a four-game streak in 2008 and 2009. The teams did not play in 2013, but Purdue won the 2012 series 2-1. Purdue is 15-8 vs. the Badgers in West Lafayette, 9-7 in Madison and 1-0 in neutral games.
What a Difference a Win Makes ...
If the Boilermakers top No. 4 Michigan in Game 1 on Wednesday...
- They will move to 25-20-1 on the season and 12-4 in Big Ten play. The 12-4 start will mark Purdue's best Big Ten start in program history (previous 11-5 in 2012).
- They will match the program's Feb. 7, 2009, win over No. 4 UCLA as the highest ranked foe ever defeated by a Purdue softball team.
- They will record the program's first win over Michigan since 2006, snapping a 16-game streak.
- They will have won the opener of each of their first six conference series in 2014. (Purdue has won all five Big Ten series thus far in 2014.
- They will move to 221-202-2 all-time in the month of April, including a 9-8 mark when playing on April 23.
Words About the Wolverines
At First Glance: The No. 4 Michigan Wolverines (36-7, 2-10 Big Ten) have won 22 of their last 23 games dating to March 7. The Wolverines return 16 letterwinners, including six starters and two pitchers, from the 2013 team that posted a 51-13 record, won the Big Ten title and advanced to the Women's College World Series. Michigan is coached by Carol Hutchins, who is in her 30th year with the team.
Last Time Out: The Wolverines went 2-1 against No. 12 Minnesota at home last weekend. The Gophers took the series opener 1-0, snapping a 20-game Michigan win streak. The Wolverines rebounded with wins of 3-1 and 7-2.
Statistically Speaking: Seven Michigan starters are batting .250 or better, led by shortstop Sierra Romero, who boasts a .514 average, 52 RBI, 57 runs and 12 home runs. Outfielder Nicole Sappingfield (.420), outfielder Lyndsay Doyle (.401), outfielder Sierra Lawrence (.357), first baseman Caitlin Blanchard (.341), second baseman Abby Ramirez (.306) and catcher Lauren Sweet round out the group. Sappinfield has scored 46 runs and swiped six bases, while Doyle has scored 43 times and tallied eight doubles, three triples and eight stolen bases. Lawrence has registered a team-best 10 steals to go with 45 RBI, 33 runs and five home runs, while Blanchard has 31 RBI and nine doubles. Ramirez has scored 25 runs and stolen six bases, while Sweet has launched five home runs and add 22 RBI. As a team, Michigan is batting .356 with 40 home runs and 44 steals.
Junior lefty Haylie Wagner (20-1), freshman Megan Betsa (11-3) and junior Sara Driesenga (5-3) have split time in the circle. Wagner boasts a staff-best 0.94 ERA with 97 striekouts and six shutouts in 119 innings. Betsa adds 104 Ks in 79 innings, including four shutouts and a 1.85 ERA. Driesenga has issued 56 Ks in 72 innings with three shutouts, a 1.93 ERA and three saves. The staff is limiting foes to a .202 average.
A Bit About The Badgers
At First Glance: The Wisconsin Badgers (27-15, 9-5 Big Ten) have won their last 10 games heading into the weekend series with Purdue. The Badgers return 14 letterwinners, including six starters and two pitchers, from the 2013 team that posted a 44-13 record, finished fourth in the Big Ten and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin is coached by Yvette Healy, who is in her fourth year with the team.
Last Time Out: The Badgers went 5-0 last week, sweeping a Wednesday doubleheader with Green Bay (9-8, 5-2) in Madison and taking the weekend series with Penn State (6-3, 4-0, 5-2).
Statistically Speaking: Outfielder Mary Massei (.393) leads the Wisconsin batters with a .393 average, 32 runs, 14 doubles, eight home runs and eight steals. Seven other Badgers boasts a .270 average or better. Third baseman Michelle Mueller (.353), designated player Maria Van Abel (.310), catcher Chloe Miller (.295), shortstop Ashley Van Zeeland (.289), outfielder Marissa Mersch (.276), second baseman Megan tancill (.274) and first baseman Stephanie Peace (.270) round out the group. Mueller has driven in a team-best 45 RBI with 10 home runs and nine doubles, while Van Abel has scored 28 runs and stolen a team-best 21 bases. Miller has driven in 25 RBI and boasts seven home runs, while Peace has launched seven home runs to go with her 29 runs and 10 steals. As a team, Wisconsin is batting .281 with 34 RBI and 91 stolen bases.
Senior Cassandra Darrah (16-10) and sophomore Taylor-Paige Stewart (11-5) have split time in the circle. Darrah has struck out 106 batters in 160 innings and tossed three shutouts. Stewart has issued 105 Ks in 108 innings with two shutouts. Opponents are batting .246 against the duo.
Among The Nation
The Boilermakers rank 29th nationally in doubles per game (1.52) and 38th in batting average (.308) and 57th in slugging percentage (.462). Individually, senior Andie Varsho ranks among the national top 50 in batting average (13th with .448) and on-base percentage (33rd with .524). Junior Ashley Burkhardt ranks 13th nationally in sacrifice flies (4). Senior Maia Monchek ranks 50th in sacrifice bunts per game (0.22). Sophomore pitcher Lilly Fecho is 30th nationally in wins (18), 42nd in strikeouts (169) and 48th in shutouts (5).
McJunkin Earns Second Big Ten Freshman of the Week Honor
Freshman designated player Katy McJunkin was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the second time this season on April 21 after leading the Purdue bats in the team's weekend series win over Illinois.
McJunkin batted .714 with four RBI and a run. She boasted a 1.286 slugging percentage and .714 on-base percentage. She went 5-for-7 with a double and a home run. In Game 1 against the Illini, McJunkin went 2-for-2 with three-run home run, her first career long ball, and an RBI double. In Game 2, she had one of Purdue's five hits. In the series finale, the rookie went 2-for-3 to lead the Boilermaker bats.