BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Boilermakers split their rescheduled Wednesday doubleheader with Indiana, falling 6-3 via walkoff in the continuation of Game 1 of the April 8 contests, but rebounding with a 4-3 seventh-inning win in Game 2.
Seniors Alyssa Koorsen and Ashley Burkhardt each had three hits on the day. Koorsen had a triple and a home run in Game 1 and added an RBI single to clinch the Game 2 win. Burkhardt also had a triple.
The Boilermakers (28-19) return to action at 6:30 p.m. Friday when they kick off a three-game series at Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
Indiana 6, Purdue 3
Junior Lilly Fecho (17-13) struck out 11 batters, but took the loss as Indiana hit a pair of three-run home runs including a walkoff to steal away the 6-3 win. Miranda Tamayo (5-8) picked up the win for the Hoosiers.
Purdue scored its three runs on nine hits, including two hit days by seniors Alyssa Koorsen and Ashley Burkhardt and junior Mary Gooding. Koorsen posted the first home run of her career, a solo shot to tie the game at 3-3 in the top of the seventh.
The Boilermakers had runners at the corners with nobody out and a 2-0 count as Burkhardt as the April 8 game resumed from its halted status. Burkhardt finished her at-bat by sending an RBI single through the right side. Sophomore Kristen Hoppman reached on a throwing error on her sacrifice bunt attempt, loading the bases, but the Boilers couldn't add to its 1-0 lead. Senior Alyssa Koorsen had tripled to left and Gooding walked before weather halted the game two weeks ago.
The Boilers got two hits in the third and fourth, before surrendering their first hit to the Hoosiers. Gooding led off the third with a single, but was out on a double play. Hoppman added a single up the right field line, but was tagged out in a close play at second base. In the fourth, freshman Kaylah Hampton and junior Paris Andrew singled to start the inning, but a fielder's choice play, a pop up and ground out capped the inning.
Indiana went up 3-1 care of a Kelsey Dotson three-run home run that looped just inside the right field foul pole. The hit followed two singles and a fielder's choice play.
Burkhardt got one run back with one swing of the bat in the fifth, sending a triple up the right field line and coming home on a fielding miscue by right fielder.
Hampton was hit by a pitch to start the sixth, but left stranded.
Senior Alyssa Koorsen came through with her first career home run when the Boilers needed it most, lifting a one-out long ball deep over the right center wall to tie it up in the seventh. Gooding also singled in the inning, but was out on a fielder's choice.
The Hoosiers stole the game away on a three-run walkoff home run by pinch hitter Mena Fulton. Fulton's one-out hit came with two aboard after a leadoff single and a walk.
Purdue 4, Indiana 3
The Boilermakers took an early 3-1 lead and came through with a 4-3 win to split the doubleheader thanks to a seventh-inning single by senior Alyssa Koorsen. Koorsen was one of five Boilers with hits in the game as the team managed its four runs on five hits and four errors. The defense held Indiana to three runs on three hits and an error.
Senior Lexy Moore (4-3) picked up the win, tossing the final two innings for the Boilers and holding Indiana without a hit. Freshman Gina Snyder struck out four in the starting effort. Lora Olson (10-24) was saddled with the loss for Indiana.
Senior Ashley Burkhardt sent a two-out single through the left side in the opening stanza, but was left stranded.
Sophomore Kristen Hoppman reached on an error to start the second, but a fielder's choice play at second base and later a caught stealing erased the Boiler threat.
The Boilers cashed in on a leadoff walk in the third to take a 1-0 lead. Junior CJ Parsons drew the free pass and went to second on a sacrifice before scoring on a fielding error, which would have ended the inning.
Indiana tied it up with a run on two hits in the third. A runner scored from first on a single that got caught in the wind and landed safely in shallow center field.
Junior Paris Andrew sent a sharp single through the left side to give the Boilers a leadoff runner in the fourth. She was sacrificed over to second and came home as freshman Kaylah Hampton lifted a sky high fly ball up the right field line that looped fair for a home run, Hampton's eighth of the season.
The Hoosiers got two runs on a hit in the bottom of the inning, making good on a pair of walks to start the stanza. A single to right center scored one, while a sacrifice fly to deep center plated the second to tie the game.
Andrew was hit by a pitch in the sixth, but later picked off to end the inning.
Moore took over in the circle with one aboard and nobody out in the bottom of the sixth. The Boilers escape damage with a caught foul and a 5-4-3 double play made possible by great glove skills by third baseman CJ Parsons.
The Boilers took a 4-3 lead courtesy of a clutch RBI single by Koorsen. Freshman Maya Hughes chopped a single to short to start the inning and was joined by Hampton on a fielding error. Parsons laid down a perfect sac bunt to move the pair into scoring position. A fielder's choice play in a controversial call at the plate put runners at the corners with two away, but Koorsen came through in the clutch to put Purdue on top.
The Boilermaker defense held as Moore pitched over an error in the seventh for the win.