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TEMPE, Ariz. - Boo De Oliveira could not have scripted her first win as Purdue head softball coach any better.
The Boilermakers used aggressive base running, stingy pitching and timely hitting and to defeat Saint Mary's 6-1 on Sunday in their finale at the renowned Kajikawa Classic at the Tempe Sports Complex.
"We had all parts of our game today," De Oliveira said. "We got the leadoff out six of seven times on defense, we did what we had to do to score runs and our pitchers pitched very well. It feels good (to get that first win), but I expect our team to win every game, so hopefully it's one of many more to come."
Purdue (1-4) broke a 1-apiece tie in the bottom of the fourth inning. With Mallory Baker on third and Kaylah Hampton on first and one out, Alexa Binckes hit a ground ball to Saint Mary's shortstop Halle Sullivan, who threw home with Baker breaking on the play. Baker got into a shortstop-to-catcher-to-third baseman-to shortstop rundown and initially was declared out at the plate, but the call was overturned, and Purdue had a lead it would not relinquish.
Hampton wound up at third and Binckes at second on the play, and the next batter, Lexi Valone, came through with a two-run single to extend the Purdue lead to 4-1.
Head coach Boo De Oliveira talks about her first win at Purdue, a solid all-around effort against Saint Mary's. https://t.co/DIwyW7wzT6
-- 🚂Purdue Softballâš' (@PurdueSoftball) February 12, 2017
After Maddie Damon pitched the first four innings, allowing just an unearned run in the first on three hits with two strikeouts to earn the win, the Boilermakers went to Katie Johnson, who held the Gaels (2-3) hitless while walking just one batter over the final three frames to earn the save.
Maya Hughes had her third three-hit game of the young season to lead the Boilermakers' eight-hit attack. She batted .500 (9-for-18) for the tournament.
Valone had two hits, while Hampton reached base three times with a hit and two walks. Kristen Hoppman collected three stolen bases. As a team, Purdue had five thefts after managing merely one over its first four games.
The Boilermakers are back in action next weekend at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They will face Louisville twice (Friday at 1:30 p.m. ET and Saturday at 4 p.m.) and the host Tar Heels twice (Saturday at 11 a.m. and Sunday at 12:30 p.m.).