FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Boilermaker offense put up three runs on five hits, including two home runs, as junior Lilly Fecho shut down the Florida Gulf Coast batters with 13 strikeouts in a 3-1 victory on Saturday.
Senior Ashley Burkhardt and freshman Kaylah Hampton supplied the long balls, which gave Purdue all of the insurance runs it needed in the victory. Freshman Maya Hughes, sophomore Kristen Hoppman and redshirt junior Katie Harrison also had hits in the win.
Fecho went the distance in the game to move to 7-2 on the season, striking out 13 and allowing a run on six hits. Ashley Dobson (1-2) threw the complete game for FGCU, striking out four.
Junior Mary Gooding was the game's first base runner, drawing a one-out walk in the opening stanza. A fielder's choice saw Gooding out at second, but put Burkhardt aboard. Burkhardt then swiped second and went to third on a passed ball, to set the table for Harrison, who picked up the RBI with a single to left center. Harrison went to second on a fielding error, but the Boilers couldn't bring her pinch runner Lexi Valone around to score.
The Boilers went up 3-0 with a pair of home runs in the fourth. Burkhardt launched sixth homer of the season with a long ball to right center to lead off the inning. Hampton tallied her fifth of the year with a high flyer to left two batters later. Hoppman also singled in the inning, but Purdue couldn't add another score.
Gooding drew a two-out walk in the fifth, but a fly ball kept the Boilers from capitalizing on the free pass.
FGCU scratched a run across in the fifth inning on three hits and an error. Two singles and a stolen base gave the Eagles runners at the corners with two outs. A bunt single allowed the score. The runners advanced to second and third on an error following the RBI single, but a pop up prevented further damage.
Hampton walked and went to second in the sixth, but was left stranded. FGCU threatened with a leadoff triple in the bottom of the inning, but Fecho struck out the side to wrap up the inning.
Hughes added a two-out single for the Boilers in the seventh and stole second, but Purdue could not add to the 3-1 lead.
The Eagles loaded the bases on a pair of two-out bunt singles and a walk in the final stanza, but a fly ball to left field was handled deftly to secure the win.
The Boilermakers (9-4) return to action at 4:45 p.m. ET vs. Stony Brook to wrap Day 2 of the FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Invitational.