EVANSTON, Ill. - Junior Lilly Fecho issued seven strikeouts and the Boilermakers scattered six hits in the game, but stranded eight runners in a 5-1 loss to Northwestern on Sunday.
Northwestern scored its five runs on seven hits and an error, while the Boilers got their run on six hits and an error. Junior Mary Gooding led the Purdue bats with a 2-for-2 effort.
Kristen Wood (9-3) struck out 14 in the win for the Wildcats. Fecho issued her seven Ks in four and a third innings in the loss for Purdue. Freshman Gina Snyder struck out three batters in the final inning and two thirds.
The Boilers put runners aboard in the first and second, but could not score. Senior Ashley Burkhardt drew a one-out walk and stole second in the opening stanza and Gooding tallied the game's first hit with a two-out single in the second, but strikeouts left both stranded.
A Purdue miscue gave Northwestern a one-out runner in the second, but two Fecho Ks prevented any damage.
The Wildcats went up 3-0 in the third care of a two-run shot by Andrea DiPrima and an RBI single. The long ball followed a walk and a fielder's choice play at second base. Northwestern combined a double and a single for the third score.
Purdue got one run back in the fourth on a bases loaded sacrifice fly by Gooding. Senior Alyssa Koorsen and sophomore Kristen Hoppman singled and freshman Kaylah Hampton walked to fill the base paths. A double play ended the inning.
Junior Paris Andrew and Burkhardt tallied two-out singles in the fifth, but the Boilers couldn't add a run.
Northwestern plated two runs on four hits in the fifth. A single by DiPrima with runners at second and third brought in one. A one-out single to center scored the second.
In the sixth, junior CJ Parsons reached on an error by the catcher and Gooding added her second hit of the game, a two-out single, but a pop up kept Purdue from converting on the RBI chance.
Parsons made a diving grab on a foul ball in the sixth inning to prevent Northwestern from advancing its runners on an eventually overturned double play call.
The Wildcats put Burkhardt on with a two-out walk in the seventh, but a deep fly ball was caught to end the game.
The Boilermakers (24-15, 4-5 Big Ten) return to action at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday for a BTN televised doubleheader at Indiana.