WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers held the Boilermakers to just one hit in an 8-0 run-rule shortened game on Sunday afternoon to end Purdue's stay the Tennessee Invitational.
Gretchen Aucoin (7-2) struck out six batters in the win for UT, while reliever Rainey Gaffin earned a save after tossing the final inning and two thirds. Junior Lilly Fecho issued two Ks in the loss for Purdue before exiting the game in the third inning. Freshman Gina Snyder added two strikeouts in two innings of work. Senior Alex Whittemore faced the game's final two batters.
The Vols scored eight runs on eight hits. The Boilermakers had four base runners in the game as junior CJ Parsons had a fifth-inning single and the team drew two walks and had one player reach on an error.
Tennessee struck first with a run on two hits in the second. A one-out double off the left center wall and a single to right combined for the score.
Purdue got its first base runner in the third as junior Mary Gooding led off the inning by reaching on a fielding error. A sacrifice moved her into scoring position, but the Boilers were unable to bring her home.
The Vols added two runs on three hits and a sacrifice fly in the third. A leadoff single, wild pitch and stolen base set up the sac fly. UT then paired a double and a single to go ahead 3-0. Snyder then entered the game and forced a strikeout and foul fly out to strand a runner in scoring position.
The Boilermakers put two runners on base in the fourth as senior Alyssa Koorsen and redshirt junior Katie Harrison drew walks, but a strikeout and ground ball to second base kept the team scoreless.
Parsons snapped the Vols no-hit bid with a two-out single through the left side in the fifth.
A three-run home run by Megan Geer put UT up 6-0 in the fifth. The one-out long ball scored a pair of runners who had been hit by pitches. A walk, a single and a hit by pitch loaded the bases and a double to left center ended the game at 8-0.
Purdue (12-8) returns to action on Friday against Northern Illinois and Long Island at the Michelle Smith Spring Break Invitational in Clearwater, Fla.