GAME NOTES
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue softball team hits off its seventh straight Big Ten Tournament with a Thursday matchup against sixth-seeded Rutgers in Bloomington, Ind. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. ET at Andy Mohr Field with the game live on Big Ten Network.
Purdue finished the regular season 30-26 and earned the eleventh seed with a 6-17 Big Ten record. The Boilermakers enter the tournament looking to snap a nine-game losing streak after falling to Northwestern, Wisconsin and Illinois in their last three conference series of the regular season.
First Round | No.11 Purdue vs. No.6 Rutgers
Thursday, May 9 | 7 p.m. ET
Eichelberger Field | Urbana, Ill.
BTN | LISTEN| LIVE STATS
Offensively, First-Team All-Big Ten selection Jenny Behan continues to guide the Boilermakers. The veteran currently owns a squad-best 59 hits, 47 runs and 40 RBI in 163 at-bats to hit .362. The senior leads the Purdue in extra-base hits as well with 12 doubles, one triple and 13 home runs, giving her a .687 slugging percentage. She walked 34 times, fueling her .473 on-base percentage.
Freshman Rachel Becker and Kasey Wilhoit and seniors Lexi Huffman and Mallory Baker add extra power to the Purdue lineup with four more batting averages above .300. Becker follows Behan with 55 hits and 40 runs for a .333 average. The rookie shortstop has proved to be a tough out in Purdue's leadoff position as she owns a conference-best 37 walks. Wilhoit ranks third on the team with a .323 batting average, 52 hits and 33 RBI.
Huffman and Baker round out the quintet with .306 and .301 batting averages, respectively. Huffman tops Purdue with 16 doubles, which ranks fourth in program history for most doubles in a season. Also packing power at the plate, Baker is second on the team in home runs with six, while also adding 40 runs.
In the circle, redshirt Sydney Bates (11-8) has struck out a team-best 111 batters in 135.0 innings, including five complete games and three saves. Senior Kaitlynn Moody (11-10) has issued 70 Ks in 118.2 innings, to go along with 19 starts and seven complete games. Stepping up in relief action is senior Maddie Damon (1-5). The veteran has fanned 42 batters in 45 innings of work
SCOUTING RUTGERS
Winning four of its last five Big Ten series, Rutgers enters its first Big Ten Tournament since 2016 as the No. 6 seed. Earning their highest seed at the Big Ten Tournament, the Scarlet Knights are looking for their first win in the conference tournament after falling in the first round as the No. 7 seed in 2015 and as No. 11 in 2016.
The Scarlet Knights are batting .255 as a team, led by Jess Hughes (.360, 58 hits, 46 runs, 23 stolen bases) and Anyssa Iliopoulos (.331, 46 hits, 41 RBI). In addition, Katie Wingert carries a big bat as her 17 home runs is tied for the most in the Big Ten. In the circle, Rutgers carries a 3.67 team ERA with Corah Price (2.87 ERA, 16-9, 171.0 IP) and Whitney Jones (4.36 ERA, 11-13, 135.0 IP) taking most of the innings.
WEEKEND SERIES INFORMATION
All-Time Series: Rutgers leads 3-2, dating back since 2009
Last Series: Rutgers 2-1 (in West Lafayette | 3/28-3/29/15)
Last Meeting: Rutgers 2, Purdue 1 (in West Lafayette | 3/29/15)
What a Difference a Win Makes ...
If the Boilermakers top Rutgers on Thursday...
Purdue makes its eleventh overall and seventh-straight appearance in the Big Ten Tournament as the tournament is in its seventh season since being reinstated in 2013. The Big Ten Tournament was played for the first time in 1982 and reappeared during the 1995 season, lasting through 2008.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue softball team hits off its seventh straight Big Ten Tournament with a Thursday matchup against sixth-seeded Rutgers in Bloomington, Ind. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. ET at Andy Mohr Field with the game live on Big Ten Network.
Purdue finished the regular season 30-26 and earned the eleventh seed with a 6-17 Big Ten record. The Boilermakers enter the tournament looking to snap a nine-game losing streak after falling to Northwestern, Wisconsin and Illinois in their last three conference series of the regular season.
First Round | No.11 Purdue vs. No.6 Rutgers
Thursday, May 9 | 7 p.m. ET
Eichelberger Field | Urbana, Ill.
BTN | LISTEN| LIVE STATS
Offensively, First-Team All-Big Ten selection Jenny Behan continues to guide the Boilermakers. The veteran currently owns a squad-best 59 hits, 47 runs and 40 RBI in 163 at-bats to hit .362. The senior leads the Purdue in extra-base hits as well with 12 doubles, one triple and 13 home runs, giving her a .687 slugging percentage. She walked 34 times, fueling her .473 on-base percentage.
Freshman Rachel Becker and Kasey Wilhoit and seniors Lexi Huffman and Mallory Baker add extra power to the Purdue lineup with four more batting averages above .300. Becker follows Behan with 55 hits and 40 runs for a .333 average. The rookie shortstop has proved to be a tough out in Purdue's leadoff position as she owns a conference-best 37 walks. Wilhoit ranks third on the team with a .323 batting average, 52 hits and 33 RBI.
Huffman and Baker round out the quintet with .306 and .301 batting averages, respectively. Huffman tops Purdue with 16 doubles, which ranks fourth in program history for most doubles in a season. Also packing power at the plate, Baker is second on the team in home runs with six, while also adding 40 runs.
In the circle, redshirt Sydney Bates (11-8) has struck out a team-best 111 batters in 135.0 innings, including five complete games and three saves. Senior Kaitlynn Moody (11-10) has issued 70 Ks in 118.2 innings, to go along with 19 starts and seven complete games. Stepping up in relief action is senior Maddie Damon (1-5). The veteran has fanned 42 batters in 45 innings of work
SCOUTING RUTGERS
Winning four of its last five Big Ten series, Rutgers enters its first Big Ten Tournament since 2016 as the No. 6 seed. Earning their highest seed at the Big Ten Tournament, the Scarlet Knights are looking for their first win in the conference tournament after falling in the first round as the No. 7 seed in 2015 and as No. 11 in 2016.
The Scarlet Knights are batting .255 as a team, led by Jess Hughes (.360, 58 hits, 46 runs, 23 stolen bases) and Anyssa Iliopoulos (.331, 46 hits, 41 RBI). In addition, Katie Wingert carries a big bat as her 17 home runs is tied for the most in the Big Ten. In the circle, Rutgers carries a 3.67 team ERA with Corah Price (2.87 ERA, 16-9, 171.0 IP) and Whitney Jones (4.36 ERA, 11-13, 135.0 IP) taking most of the innings.
WEEKEND SERIES INFORMATION
All-Time Series: Rutgers leads 3-2, dating back since 2009
Last Series: Rutgers 2-1 (in West Lafayette | 3/28-3/29/15)
Last Meeting: Rutgers 2, Purdue 1 (in West Lafayette | 3/29/15)
What a Difference a Win Makes ...
If the Boilermakers top Rutgers on Thursday...
- They will move to 31-26 on the season, snapping a nine-game losing streak and ensuring a 31 win season for the first time since 2015.
- They will even the season series with the Scarlet Knights at 3-3.
- They will move to 5-13 all-time at the Big Ten Tournament, dating to 1997.
Purdue makes its eleventh overall and seventh-straight appearance in the Big Ten Tournament as the tournament is in its seventh season since being reinstated in 2013. The Big Ten Tournament was played for the first time in 1982 and reappeared during the 1995 season, lasting through 2008.