CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Boilermakers swept the competition with a pair of 10 hit efforts, topping Northern Illinois 7-3 and Long Island 9-1 on Day 1 of the Michelle Smith Spring Break Tournament.
Purdue combined for 23 hits in the games, including five home runs. Freshman Kaylah Hampton launched a school-record tying two homers in the game against LIU, making her the 17th individual to achieve the feat and marking the 23rd two-homer effort in program history. Sophomore Kristen Hoppman led the Boilermaker bats, going 5-for-6 on the day, including 3-for-3 against LIU.
In the circle, junior Lilly Fecho (11-4) issued seven Ks in seven innings against NIU, while freshman Gina Snyder struck out four batters and allowed just two hits in a five-inning win over LIU, marking her first collegiate victory.
The Boilermakers (14-8) return to action at 9 a.m. vs. St. Joseph's and play Quinnipiac at 1:45 p.m. Saturday.
Purdue 7, Northern Illinois 3
The Boilermakers rapped out seven runs on 10 hits and two NIU miscues, including two hit efforts by seniors Alyssa Koorsen and Ashley Burkhardt and sophomore Kristen Hoppman. The Huskies managed their three runs on four hits and a Purdue miscue.
Fecho struck out seven batters and recorded all 21 outs, moving to 11-4 with the victory. Senior Alex Whittemore faced four batters in the game in a relief effort. Jessica Sturm (5-7) struck out four batters and allowed six runs in the loss. Tara Thacker struck out one batter in three innings of relief for NIU.
Koorsen singled and went to third on a steal and a throwing error in the first, but the Boilers couldn't bring her home. In the second inning, Hoppman doubled and junior Mary Gooding walked, but a ground ball to the pitcher left the pair aboard.
A three-run shot by Burkhardt put the Boilers on the board in the third. The long ball to right field plated freshman Maya Hughes, who had singled and swiped second, and Koorsen, who doubled. Junior Paris Andrew drew a two-out walk and Hoppman also received a free pass. Andrew stole third, but a strikeout stranded the runners at the corners.
NIU took advantage of a Boilermaker miscue for a score in the fourth. A throwing error and sacrifice bunt put a runner in scoring position for Kayti Grable, who picked up the RBI with a single to right.
The Boilers got that run back and three more, scoring four runs on five hits and an error in the fifth. Burkhardt got things rolling with a double and came home as redshirt junior Katie Harrison sent an RBI single to left. A throwing error put Harrison on second. Pinch runner CJ Parsons came in and was joined on base by Hampton, who walked. Thacker took over in the circle for NIU and Andrew promptly dropped one of her offerings for a three-run shot over the right field wall. Hoppman singled, but was out in a double play before junior Lexi Valone added a single and a ground out capped the stanza.
Northern Illinois got two singles and a walk off Whittemore, before scoring on a hit by pitch. Fecho reentered the game to pitch, but the Huskies got another run on a bases-loaded walk. Two pop up and a strikeout prevented further damage.
NIU got a two-out single in the seventh, but a fielder's choice play at second base capped the Boilermaker victory.
Purdue 9, Long Island 1
Thirteen hits, including three home runs, buoyed the Boilermakers in a 9-1 win over Long Island. Sophomore Kristen Hoppman went 3-for-3, while senior Ashley Burkhardt, junior Paris Andrew and freshman Kaylah Hampton added two hits each. Hampton lifted a school-record tying two home runs in the win.
Freshman Gina Snyder went the distance for the Boilers, striking out four batters in the complete-game five-inning win, her first of the season. Alyssa Lanktree-Dotson (2-4) struck out two batters in the complete game for LIU.
The Boilermakers wasted no time ramping up the offense with five runs on six hits in the opening stanza. Burkhardt lifted a two-out solo home run to center. Hampton added her first long ball of the game, a two-run shot following a single by redshirt junior Katie Harrison. The hit parade continued with singled by junior Paris Andrew and Hoppman. Junior Mary Gooding brought both in with a triple to right center.
Purdue tacked on two more runs on four hits in the third. Hampton tattooed a ball well past the wall in left center to lead off the inning and mark her seventh of the season. Singles by Andrew and Hoppman put runners at the corners for Gooding, who picked up the RBI with a fielder's choice. Freshman Maya Hughes also had a single in the inning.
An error and a sacrifice fly accounted for a pair of scores in the fifth. A bunt single by Hoppman and a single by freshman Stephanie Ramsey set up the first score, which came on a fielding error by the first baseman. Junior CJ Parsons brought Ramsey in from third with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Long Island kept the game going, taking advantage of a walk in the bottom of the fifth for a score, but could not extend it past the stanza. A one-out walk put Kylie Mulholland on. A ground ball and a wild pitch moved her to third, from which she scored on an RBI single by Madison Green. Snyder ended the game by striking out the next batter.