MIAMI - The Boilermakers overcame an early 1-0 deficit to defeat the home-standing FIU Panthers 8-1 to wrap up Day 1 of the FIU Invitational.
Purdue racked up eight runs on 12 hits, including a three-hit effort by senior Ashley Burkhardt and two-hit days by freshman Maya Hughes, junior Paris Andrew and senior Alyssa Koorsen.
Junior Lilly Fecho (3-2) struck out five in six innings of work in the victory, while freshman Gina Snyder issued two Ks in the final stanza. Corinne Jenkins (4-2) was saddled with the loss for FIU after allowing seven runs in five innings.
FIU scored first, combining a two-out double and a single for a run in the bottom of the first.
Freshman Kaylah Hampton tied it up with one swing of the bat, crushing a home run well past the left field wall to start the second inning. An RBI single by Hughes put the Boilers up 2-1, scoring Koorsen, who tallied a one-out single. Andrew also had a single in the inning.
The Panthers loaded the bases to no avail in the second. A ground ball to second base shut down the rally after two hits and an error.
Hughes picked up an RBI with a two-out double up the left field line in the fourth that made it 3-1 Boilers. Andrew, who reached on a fielder's choice, scored from first on the hit. Koorsen also had a bunt single to start the stanza.
A four-run fifth inning gave the Boilermakers some cushion. Burkhardt and redshirt junior Katie Harrison single and Hampton reached on a walk to fill the bases with nobody out. A single past second base by sophomore Kristen Hoppman scored two. A fielder's choice put runners at the corners for Andrew, who delivered with a two-RBI double to the left center gap.
Burkhardt smashed her third home run of the season, a solo shot with one out in the sixth to make it 8-1 Purdue.
The Boilermakers return to action at 11 a.m. Saturday vs. Memphis and also face Long Island at 1:30 p.m.