COLUMBUS, Ohio ââ'¬" The Buckeyes scored first and last in a 3-2 win over the Boilermakers on Saturday, evening the season series at 1-1. The teams face off again at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Ohio State scored three runs on seven hits and an error, while Purdue managed its two runs on four hits and two errors.
Kayta Duvall (4-0) picked up the win, throwing an inning and two thirds of hitless relief, while Shelby Hursh picked up her third save of the season, striking out three in the final two and two thirds innings. Starter Lena Springer went two and two thirds innings, giving up two runs on three hits.
Sophomore Gina Snyder struck out one in three innings of work in the loss for Purdue, while senior Lilly Fecho issued three strikeouts in the final three stanzas.
Ohio State put up a run on two hits and an error in the first inning. The two-out rally began with a single. A single to the right center gap and a fielding error then allowed the runner to come home. Snyder issued her lone strikeout to get out of the inning.
The Boilermakers jumped on the scoreboard with two runs on three hits and an error in the third. Freshman Lexi Huffman led off with a single and was sacrificed over to second by freshman Heather Knight. Knight was safe at first on a Buckeye error. Huffman came home on a double to right center by senior Mary Gooding. Knight scored from third as freshman Emily Kenny lasered a shot back at the pitcher for an RBI single. A fly ball left Gooding and Kenny aboard.
The Buckeyes tied it up with a run on a hit in the third. A lead off single, hit by pitch and caught foul gave OSU runners at the corners. A double steal scored the run. A fielder's choice and caught foul prevented further damage.
Huffman drew a two-out walk in the fourth, but to no avail.
Ashley Goodwin put the Buckeyes on top with a solo home run to center to lead off the OSU fourth.
A dropped fly ball in the fifth put junior Kristen Hoppman on second, but a fly out and strikeout left her stranded.
Freshman Lauren Stewart singled to start off the sixth and went to second on a sacrifice before being called out in a controversial play at third base in an attempted steal.
The Boilermakers went down in order in the seventh to close out the game.
Purdue (26-21, 7-9 Big Ten) will face the Buckeyes at 1 p.m. Sunday to wrap up the series.