Game 1 vs. Southern Utah: Final Stats / Photo Gallery
Game 2 vs. UC Santa Barbara: Final Stats / Photo Gallery / Schuette Quotes
Boiler Notes
- Five freshmen made their Purdue debuts as starters in the season opener vs. Southern Utah: Lauren Stewart (LF), Emily Kenny (3B), Lexi Huffman (1B), Heather Knight (C) and Mallory Baker (RF)
- Senior Katie Harrison's 4-for-4 effort against Southern Utah marked the 23rd 4-for-4 performance in program history, and 25th perfect day at the plate with four or more hits.
- Lilly Fecho's 15 strikeouts against Southern Utah marks the fourth-best single game effort in program history. (Fecho also owns the school record with 19 vs. FGCU in 2015).
TUCSON, Ariz. - The Boilermakers opened the 2016 with a pair of wins at the Hillenbrand Invitational on Friday, dominating Southern Utah 8-1 in Game 1 and fighting to the wire in a 10-9 win over UC Santa Barbara.
Senior Lilly Fecho picked up both wins in the circle, striking out 16 batters in eight and two thirds innings combined. The pair of victories moved her career win total to 51, tying her for fifth on the career victories list with Diana LaRiva (2003-06).
At the plate, senior Katie Harrison was 5-for-5 on the day with a double and a walk. Six other players had multi-hit days.
The Boilermakers (2-0) return to action at 5 p.m. ET Saturday against Nebraska-Omaha followed by a 7 p.m. contest against the host No. 13 Arizona Wildcats.
Purdue 8, Southern Utah 1
Purdue piled up eight runs on 14 hits and an error, while allowing the Thunderbirds just one run on three hits and an error. Senior Katie Harrison led the Boilermaker bats with a 4-for-4 effort, while junior Kristen Hoppman and freshmen Lauren Stewart and Heather Knight posted two-hit days.
Fecho issued 15 strikeouts, fourth most in a single game in program history, en route to the complete-game victory.
Harrison picked up her first hit with a two-single single in the first and Hoppman added Purdue's second hit with a second inning bunt single, but the game remained tied at 0-0 after three innings.
Harrison gave the Boilermakers their first runner in scoring position with a one-out double. Pinch runner Morgan Cavinder went to third on a passed ball with two outs, but a strikeout left her stranded.
Southern Utah took advantage of a leadoff walk in the fourth for a run. A pair of fielder's choice sacrifice bunts gave the Thunderbirds runners at first and second with one out. A single to right scored the lead runner. A strikeout stranded two in scoring position.
The Boilermakers countered with a trio of runs after a fifth inning miscue. Hoppman was hit by a pitch and was sacrificed over to second. Senior Mary Gooding also was plunked, then an infield grounder moved the pair into scoring position. Stewart drove in both as she singled to third base and advanced to second on a throwing error. Hoppman scored on the hit, while Gooding came home after the miscue. Freshman Heather Knight recorded her first career hit, using an infield single to push Stewart to third. Harrison made good on the RBI chance with a single to left, which put Purdue up 3-1.
Hoppman tallied a sixth-inning single and stole two bases, but could not score. Southern Utah left two aboard in its half of the inning.
Purdue put the game out of reach, pouring on five runs on seven hits in the seventh. Singles and strong base running by Stewart and Hughes gave Purdue two runners in scoring position to start the inning. Knight plated both with a single down the left field line. Harrison followed with a single prompting a pitching change. Freshman Lexi Huffman picked up her first collegiate hit, sending the new pitcher, Jordan Theurer, yard for a three-run shot. Senior Sydney Pencek posted a two-out single and Gooding added a double, but the Boilermakers could not add to the 8-1 advantage.
After allowing a leadoff single in the final stanza, Fecho sat the Thunderbirds down in order via strikeout to close out the game.
Purdue 10, UC Santa Barbara 9
Game 2 of the day was an offensive battle as the teams combined for 19 runs on 23 hits. For its part, Purdue managed 10 runs on 12 hits and three errors, led by sophomore Maya Hughes' 3-for-4 effort. Senior Mary Gooding and freshman Mallory Baker followed with two hits apiece.
The Boilermakers used all four of their pitchers in win as Tucson native Gina Snyder started the game and transfer Katie Johnson, freshman Maddie Damon and Fecho saw action in relief. Fecho went the final one and two thirds innings, striking out one, en route to the victory. Reliever Veronika Gulvin (0-1) was saddled with the loss for UCSB.
Purdue scored first, capitalizing on a fielding error in the opening stanza. Freshman Heather Knight singled, went to second as Harrison walked and scored on a fielding error by the third baseman.
UC Santa Barbara responded with three runs in the second as Stacy Cavazos lifted a three-run shot down the left field line, following a pair of Gaucho singles.
The Boilermakers regained the edge with a four-run third inning. Gooding plated the first run with a sacrifice fly, following a Harrison single and an error on Hoppman's sacrifice bunt attempt. Baker tacked on two more with a home run to right for her first collegiate hit. Sophomore Kaylah Hampton followed with a solo shot off the batter's eye in dead center field.
UCSB got two runs back in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single and RBI double.
Senior CJ Parsons snapped the 5-5 tie with a fielder's choice in the fourth, driving in Stewart who singled, stole second and went to third on a fly out.
The Boilermakers upped the advantage to 9-5 with a three-run fifth inning. Hughes laced a sharp single back at the pitcher with two in scoring position, bringing in the first two runs. She wound up on third on the hit after an errant throw home by the shortstop. A sacrifice bunt by Stewart brought Hughes home.
The Gauchos countered with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning. A Sierra Altmeyer home run and an RBI single accounted for the scores.
UCSB tied it up on another Altmeyer homer in the sixth.
Purdue got a leadoff double from Baker in the seventh. A sacrifice bunt by Hampton moved pinch runner Sydney Pencek to third, setting up Hughes' game winning double down the left field line.
UCSB got a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning, but a fielder's choice, a foul out and fly out sealed the Purdue victory.