WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermakers faced off with 13 eventual NCAA Regional competitors in 24 games en route to a 27-28 overall record, including an upset win over No. 25 UCF and the program's 700th victory on April 9 vs. Wisconsin. Purdue also managed an 8-15 mark in Big Ten play, good for a three-way tie for 10th place.
Senior pitcher Lilly Fecho set the standard for career strikeouts (817) and posted an 18-14 mark with a 2.05 ERA, 219 strikeouts, five shutouts and three saves in 218 innings, while garnering first team All-Mideast Region, first team All-Big Ten honors and three Big Ten Pitcher of the Week accolades. Outfielder Lauren Stewart earned two Big Ten Freshman of the Week nods, lifted the team's lone grand slam of the year and ranked second in batting average with a .306 mark and a team-leading 34 runs. Infielder/outfielder Kristen Hoppman paced the team at the plate with a .313 average, 28 runs, 28 steals and 17 extra-base hits.
As a team, the Boilermakers ranked 28th nationally in triples per game, 41st in double plays per game and 51st in stolen bases per game. Purdue led the Big Ten in overall looking strikeouts pitched with 99 and in triples in conference play (9). In the classroom, Fecho and senior Mary Gooding garnered Academic All-District accolades, while 10 players earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
Statistically Speaking
Infielder/outfielder Kristen Hoppman led the Boilermaker bats with a .313 average, 28 stolen bases, 28 runs, five triples and four home runs. Outfielder Lauren Stewart (.306), designated player Katie Harrison (.291), infielder/outfielder Mary Gooding (.250), catcher Kaylah Hampton (.244), first baseman/outfielder Mallory Baker (.235) and shortstop Paris Andrew (.230) followed. Harrison drove in a team-leading 25 RBI with 10 doubles and six home runs, while also earning 21 walks. Stewart scored a team-best 34 runs to go with 22 RBI, 10 doubles, three home runs and 18 stolen bases. Gooding tallied six doubles and scored 20 runs, while Hampton chipped in 11 runs, eight RBI and two home runs. Andrew boasted six doubles, 14 RBI and eight steals, while Baker added four doubles and 12 runs. In limited action, outfielder Maya Hughes (.216) stole 15 bases and scored 20 runs. As a team, Purdue batted .242 with 95 extra-base hits, including 25 home runs, and 80 steals.
In the circle, senior lefty Lilly Fecho (18-14) struck out 219 batters in 218 innings, including 24 complete games, five shutouts, three saves and a no-hitter. Sophomore Gina Snyder (5-8) issued 69 Ks in 72 innings, including a no-hitter. Freshman Maddie Damon (4-6) added 52 Ks in 63 innings, including three complete games, while junior transfer Katie Johnson (0-0) struck out 14 batters in 15 innings. The staff allowed opponents to post a .246 average.
The Boilermakers were hit by 43 pitches, matching the 2015 team for second most in program history. The team also reached top five in triples (14), matching the fifth-place output by the 1998 and 2011 squads. The pitching staff recorded 354 strikeouts, good for second place all-time behind the 2015 team's record of 399. Fecho's 219 strikeouts ranked second most all-time in a season to her own record of 295 K's in 2015.
Through the Big Ten Tournament games, Purdue ranked 28th nationally in triples per game (0.25), 41st in double plays per game (0.42) and 51st in stolen bases per game (1.45). Hoppman was 15th in triples (5), 27th in triples per game (0.09) and 56th in stolen bases per game (0.51). Fecho ranked 17th in strikeouts, 65th in ERA (2.05) and 72nd in strikeouts per seven innings (7.0). Harrison's four sacrifice flies ranked 44th nationally.
On The Honor Roll
Senior Lilly Fecho earned the All-Midwest Region and All-Big Ten honors in 2016, garnering first team accolades on both fronts. The Carol Stream, Illinois, native also was tabbed as Big Ten Pitcher of the Week three times during the season (March 7, March 21, April 25) and was named as one of Fastpitch News' 2016 Preseason Top 50 NCAA Softball Pitchers and to the College Sports Madness Preseason All-Big Ten first team. Outfielder Lauren Stewart nabbed two Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors (Feb. 15 and April 25).
In the classroom, Fecho and senior Mary Gooding garnered Academic All-District accolades. It was the second straight for Fecho and the first for Gooding. The pair also was part of a group of 10 Boilermakers that earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
Breakout Performances
Freshman Lauren Stewart lifted a grand slam in the second inning against Nebraska-Omaha, making a splash on opening weekend. The grand slam was the 25th in school history, the first since March 20, 2015, and made Stewart the 19th Purdue player to be credited with the accomplishment.
Senior Lilly Fecho tossed the second no-hitter of her career, striking out 11 and allowing just one walk, in an 8-0 run-rule victory over St. Bonaventure on March 6. A two-out walk in the first inning was the only marr in the game.
Sophomore Gina Snyder struck out seven batters and allowed just two base runners via hit by pitch, one in the second and one in the fifth, in a complete-game no-hitter against Florida Gulf Coast on March 18. The six-inning, 9-0 run-rule effort was the first no-no of her Boilermaker career, the 19th in program history and the 17th by a single Purdue pitcher.
Senior Salute
The 2016 season marked the final campaign for seven Boilermakers: Paris Andrew, Lilly Fecho, Mary Gooding, Katie Harrison, CJ Parsons, Sydney Pencek and Lexi Valone. Collectively, they earned 16 Academic All-Big Ten honors as well as two All-Region, three All-Big Ten and three Academic All-District honors. They occupied nearly every position on the field in their careers while beating 11 of the 12 Big Ten foes they faced and knocking off six Top 25 teams.
In the Stands
The team welcomed more than 7000 fans to the Boilermaker Softball Stadium in 2016, averaging more than 600 per game. An April 17 contest against Illinois brought in a season-high 889 fans. The season finale against Northwestern saw 813 supporters in the stands.