WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermakers boasted a 2-1 lead after two innings, but could not hold off No. 22 Minnesota in a 4-3 loss on Sunday.
Purdue managed three runs on five hits and four Minnesota miscues, while the Gophers put up four runs on six hits. Junior Kristen Hoppman and freshman Emily Kenny each tallied two hits to lead the Boilermaker bats.
Nikki Anderson (4-2) struck out four in the win for Minnesota, while Sara Groenewegen picked up her first save of the season, striking out five in the final two innings. For the Boilermakers, sophomore Gina Snyder issued four K's in five innings of work, while senior Lilly Fecho struck out two in two innings of relief action.
Groenewegen gave Minnesota the early lead with a leadoff home run to left in the second inning.
Purdue answered with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-1 lead of its own. Freshman Lauren Stewart reached on a fielding error by the second baseman and went to second on a fielder's choice play, which put freshman Heather Knight on base. The pair then pulled off a double steal and Stewart scored on the play as the catcher's throw to third sailed into left field. Knight was called out trying to take third after the miscue. Another error put freshman Lexi Huffman on base with two outs and the Boilermakers capitalized as Kenny sent a double down the left field line to bring her home and make it 2-1 Purdue.
Minnesota regained the advantage, scoring a trio of two-out runs in the third. A walk and a hit by pitch set up the first score on an RBI single by Maddie Houlihan. Another hit batsman loaded the bases and the Gophers cashed in for two runs as Kayla Wenner lifted a single into right field. A fly out stranded Wenner at second.
The Boilermakers threatened in the bottom of the inning after getting singles by Hoppman and senior Mary Gooding to start the stanza. A ground ball moved the pair into scoring position, but a grounder to third base capped the inning.
Kenny picked up her second hit of the game with a two-out single in the fourth, but to no avail.
The Purdue defense held in the fifth, forcing Minnesota to leave the bases full at inning's end. A single, an intentional walk and a walk filled the basepaths, but a fielder's choice play at third base prevented the Gophers from scoring.
The Boilermakers cut the margin to one as Hoppman tripled and scored on a Gooding ground out in the fifth.
Fecho took over in the circle with two on and nobody out in the sixth and forced a strikeout and two fly outs to escape the inning unscathed.
Groenewegen entered the game in relief for the Gophers in the bottom of the inning. Senior Paris Andrew drew a two-out walk, but a fly out erased the threat.
Minnesota stranded two after a walk and a hit by pitch in the seventh, but Fecho issued a strikeout and forced a ground out to bring the Boilermaker bats to the plate down just one run.
Groenewegen denied the Purdue comeback bid with three straight strikeouts in the seventh.
The Boilermakers (18-14, 0-3 Big Ten) return to action at 6:30 p.m. ET Friday when they take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City, Iowa, to kick off a three-game series.