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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Maya Hughes once again provided late-inning heroics in Bittinger Stadium as Purdue (18-35, 7-14 B1G) earned a 4-3 walk-off victory in the series opener against Nebraska (24-26, 13-8 B1G). The win clinches Purdue a seat in the Big Ten Tournament, marking the fifth-straight season the Boilermakers have made the tournament.
With two outs and Hughes standing on second base in the bottom of the seventh inning, Alexa Binckes sent a ground ball through the legs of Nebraska's first baseman, presenting the game-winning opportunity. The play was backed up by the second baseman, however the Cornhuskers did not anticipate that Hughes would try to take two bags on the play. Hughes caught the second baseman off-guard and the throw was too late, leading to Purdue's third walk-off win in Bittinger Stadium this season. Hughes was the hero in Purdue's first home walk-off victory of 2017 when she took advantage of a defensive miscue by Michigan State to score the game-winning run.
Hughes scored the first run of the ballgame as well after sparking a stretch of four-consecutive singles that would score three runs for the Boilermakers in the first inning. Hughes, Mallory Baker, Binckes and Lexi Valone strung together the streak of hits that would set up a two-RBI single by Brooke Perry later in the inning.
A combined effort by Katie Johnson and Kaitlynn Moody kept the Huskers at bay the majority of the contest but a two-run burst in the fourth pulled Nebraska back into contention, setting up its game-tying run in the sixth. Of the three runs just two were earned, one credited to each pitcher. Johnson began the game going 3.1 innings without walking a batter and registering two one-two-three innings. Moody struck out four in 3.2 innings of work and she began her outing by retiring the first five batters she faced.
Six of Purdue's eight hits came from its first five batters as Hoppman, Hughes, Baker, Binckes, Morgan Cavinder and Valone all registered a hit in the contest. Perry finished the game with two hits and two runs batted in. Baker and Cavinder were responsible for two runs and Valone was credited with an RBI.
Game two of the series begins at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 7 in Bittinger Stadium.