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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The Boilermakers and Northwestern battled for nearly three hours, but a two-run, seventh-inning rally snapped the scoreless tie and gave the Wildcats the 2-0 win.
Purdue tallied four hits in the game, one each by junior Kristen Hoppman, senior Mary Gooding and freshmen Lauren Stewart and Lexi Huffman. The Boilermakers had at least one runner on base in all seven innings, but stranded nine in the game. Northwestern managed its two runs on six hits and one Boilermaker miscue.
Reliever Amy Letourneau (12-10) struck out five over the final four innings to capture the win for Northwestern, while senior Lilly Fecho (18-12) issued nine K's in the complete game effort for Purdue. Wildcat starter Kristen Wood allowed three hits and struck out one in three innings of work.
An error and a hit batsman gave Northwestern the game's first base runner in the opening stanza, but the Boilermaker defense held.
Purdue got its first hit on Gooding's single to left with one out in the bottom of the inning.
Stewart led off the second with a double down the left field line, but was left stranded by three fly outs.
Northwestern stranded a runner in scoring position in the third inning after a single and a steal.
Hoppman lifted a double to the center field wall with one away in the third and freshman Emily Kenny joined her with a two-out walk after battling through a 17-pitch at-bat, but a fielder's choice play at second ended the stanza.
Huffman poked a two-out single up the middle in the fourth, but again the Boilermakers came up empty.
Northwestern threatened in the fifth, putting two on with a bunt single and a walk. A fielder's choice play and a steal put two runners in scoring position, but a ground ball to second base erased the threat.
Sophomore Maya Hughes was hit by a pitch to start the Boilermaker fifth. A sacrifice by Hoppman moved her into scoring position, but a fly out and strikeout left the game scoreless.
After forcing the Wildcats to waste a sixth-inning single, the Boilermakers had another opportunity in the bottom of the inning. Senior Katie Harrison battled through a 14 pitch at-bat for a walk to lead off the stanza. A fielder's choice play put Stewart aboard and she promptly swiped second. Huffman filled the empty spot at first after being hit by a pitch with two outs, but a strikeout left both stranded.
Northwestern snapped the scoreless tie with two runs on three hits in the seventh. A single up the middle started the two-out rally. Another single and a protective throw home put two in scoring position. A single to center field brought in both for the deciding runs.
The Boilermakers had one final chance in the seventh after Gooding drew a two-out walk, but could not put together a rally.
The Boilermakers (27-25, 8-13 Big Ten) face off with the Wildcats again at 1 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday. Saturday is Bark in the Park Day, where the first 100 fans to bring their dog to the ballpark will receive a free Purdue leash. It is also Hammer Down Cancer Day, where fans may donate $10 to the Purdue Center for Cancer Research to receive a special T-shirt. The Boilermakers also will be recognizing program alumnae during the game.