MIAMI - A solid closing effort in the circle by junior Lilly Fecho and a plethora of hits helped the Boilermakers to a 7-6 win over Long Island Friday afternoon.
Purdue posted its seven runs on 10 hits and an error, while allowing the Blackbirds six runs on seven hits and two errors. Senior Ashley Burkhardt went 2-for-2 with a home run, a walk and a hit by pitch. Sophomore Kristen Hoppman also reach base in all four at-bats, tallying two hits and two walks.
Fecho (2-2) entered the game with one out in the sixth and struck out five batters in a row to close out the contest. Senior Lexy Moore struck out one in two and a third innings and senior Alex Whittemore issued two Ks in three innings of relief. Reliever Alyssa Lanktree-Dotson was saddled with the loss after allowing a run on two hits in an inning and two thirds of relief. Nicole Archer allowed six runs and struck out two in four and a third innings.
The Boilers jumped on the board in the first inning courtesy of a Burkhardt two-out home run up the right field line. Redshirt junior Katie Harrison, freshman Kaylah Hampton and Hoppman followed with singles to load the bases, but a fly ball kept Purdue from adding to its 1-0 edge.
Purdue tacked on three more runs on two hits and an error in the second. Junior Paris Andrew drew a lead off walk and scored from first on a throwing error by the third baseman the following play. Junior CJ Parsons reached on the fielder's choice play and went to third on the miscue. She was joined on base by freshman Maya Hughes who reached on a bunt single and stole second. A ground ball to second base plated Parsons and Hughes came home on a single to center field by Burkhardt. Burkhardt swiped second and third and Hampton and Hoppman filled the bases with walks, but the Boilers couldn't add to the 4-0 lead.
LIU combined three hits with a Boilermaker error for six runs in the third. Two walks and an error in center field loaded the bases. A single drove in the first run, another single plated two and then a three-run home run two batters later accounted for the rest. Whittemore took over in the circle and escaped the inning unscathed.
Purdue got one run back in the bottom of the third with a two-out rally. A single by Whittemore set up an RBI double by junior Mary Gooding. The Boilers filled the bases as Burkhardt was intentionally walked and Harrison also drew a walk, but the shortstop made a nice play on a pop up to keep Purdue from cashing in.
After stranding two Blackbirds in the fourth, the Boilermakers knotted the score at 6-6 on a sacrifice fly by junior Paris Andrew. Hoppman drew a leadoff walk and went to third on a sac bunt by senior Alyssa Koorsen before scoring on the sac fly to center by Andrew.
An RBI single by Parsons in the sixth accounted for the game-winner. Hoppman tallied a leadoff single and went to third on a sac bunt and a passed ball, setting the table for the two-out single up the left field line.
Fecho sat the Blackbirds down in order in the seventh to cap the win.
The Boilermakers (2-4) return to action at 7 p.m. ET when they face off with the host FIU Panthers. Streaming video for the game will be available at http://fiusports.com/watch/?Live=61.