WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Clutch hitting and base running lifted the Boilermakers to a 10-9 victory over Ball State on Wednesday night with Purdue winning in walk-off fashion.
Junior Paris Andrew doubled to start the Purdue seventh, then slid in safely under a fielder's choice play at third, which put junior Lexi Valone aboard. Valone swiped second setting the table for junior Mary Gooding's game-ending heroics. The Cardinals threw home on Gooding's ground ball to first base. Andrew slid in safely and the first baseman's wild late throw allowed Valone to score as well to cap the game.
The Boilermakers scored their 10 runs on 13 hits and an error, while allowing Ball State nine runs on eight hits and an error. Sophomore Kristen Hoppman led the Purdue bats with a 3-for-4 effort, while senior Ashley Burkhardt, freshman Kaylah Hampton and Andrew each added two hits.
Freshman Gina Snyder (6-0) picked up the win, striking out four batters, while tossing the final three and a third innings. Junior Lilly Fecho struck out two batters in a three-inning starting effort and senior Lexy Moore paced seven batters in the fourth inning. Nicole Steinbach (7-9) was saddled with the loss for BSU.
Ball State took an early 4-0 lead, plating their runs on two hits and an error in the opening stanza. A single, an error and a hit by pitch loaded the bases, and a walk drove in the first run. A Shelbie Scamihorn double plated two more and a sacrifice fly added the fourth.
The Boilers got two runs back in the bottom of the first care of an RBI double by Hoppman and a ground out by Burkhardt. Senior Alyssa Koorsen drew a leadoff walk and scored on Hoppman's double down the left field line. Hoppman went to third on the throw home and scored herself the next play care of Burkhardt's grounder to first base. Andrew also had a single in the inning.
The Cardinals made it 5-2 with a solo home run by Jessica Craft in the third.
Purdue went up 6-5 with a four-run, four-hit effort in the bottom of the inning. Hoppman doubled and went to third on a Burkhardt single. Hampton brought both home with a single through the left side. Andrew was hit by a pitch and a sacrifice moved both into scoring position for junior CJ Parsons, who delivered with a two-run single up the middle to put Purdue on top.
Ball State countered with four runs in the fourth. A pair of singles and a stolen bases put two in scoring position for the Cardinals. A fielder's choice play at the plate scored one, while an Emily Dabkowski three-run shot to left brought in the rest. Snyder took over in the circle with two-outs and a runner at first and forced a foul out to end the inning.
The Boilermakers chipped away over the next four innings, scoring one each in the fourth and fifth and two in the seventh to mount the come-from-behind victory. In the fourth, Burkhardt reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a Hampton double. In the fifth, Valone tripled and came in to score care of a Parsons' sacrifice fly.
Koorsen and Burkhardt singled in the sixth, but a double play ended the inning. Purdue forced Ball State to strand two runners in the top of the seventh to set up the final inning heroics.
The Boilermakers (24-11) return to action at 5 p.m. Friday when they take on Northwestern to begin a three-game series in Evanston, Ill. All three games will be streamed live via BTN Plus on BTN2Go.com.