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Softball Senior Day Set for SundaySoftball Senior Day Set for Sunday

Softball Senior Day Set for Sunday

With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Boilermaker softball squad (20-26, 3-13 Big Ten) will close out their home schedule with a three-game series vs. Rutgers (24-26, 2-15 Big Ten).

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SERIES INFORMATION
Friday, April 29
vs. Rutgers | 4 p.m. ET | B1G+
Free mug for the first 50 students
vs. Rutgers | 6:30 p.m. ET | B1G+
 
Sunday, May 1 | Senior Day
vs. Rutgers | Noon ET | B1G+ | Listen
Bark in the Park | Dog leash giveaway for the first 50 dogs/dog owners
 
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Boilermaker softball squad (20-26, 3-13 Big Ten) will close out their home schedule with a three-game series vs. Rutgers (24-26, 2-15 Big Ten).

The series, adjusted due to impeding thunderstorms Saturday, will be a Friday doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the final home game of the season Sunday at Noon. Purdue will also honor its seniors postgame.
 
SCHEDULE NOTES
  • The Boilermakers have nine games remaining over the final two weeks of the regular season, including six this week.
  • Purdue's matchup at #20 Notre Dame will also coincide with Purdue Day of Giving.
  • Set to close out their home slate this weekend vs. Rutgers, the Boilermakers will honor their seniors postgame on Sunday.
  • Purdue spent the first 36 games on the road, visiting four states over the first six weeks of play for the most games played among Big Ten squads heading into conference play.
  • Purdue registered a 10-3 record over a three-week span (3/11-3/27), marking the program's best win streak since the 2019 season.
  • Purdue faced three ranked opponents for a total of six games, recording a 1-4 record.
  • The Boilermakers picked up their first win over a ranked opponent since 2016 and their third since 2009. with the 1-0 shutout at #22 USF last Thursday, March 17. The win also marked the first top-25 victory for head coach Boo De Oliveira.
 
PURDUE AT A GLANCE
  • Purdue is averaging a .256 batting average and a .968 fielding %.
  • The Boilermaker offense is led by Rachel Becker, who owns the 4th-best batting average and on-base % in the Big Ten at .415 and .516, respectively.
  • Purdue's 12 triples ties as the most in the Big Ten this season.
  • As a team, the Boilermakers are averaging 6.35 hits per game while their opponents total 7.71 per game.
  • Alex Echazarreta leads the Boilermakers in the circle after tossing 92.2 innings this season. Meanwhile, the power hitter is second on the team offensively in slugging % (.626), on-base % (.441) and batting avg. (.346).
RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS AT A GLANCE
  • Rutgers has out hit opponents 340- 320 this season while maintaining a .274 batting average.
  • Two Scarlet Knights rank among the Big Ten's top-10 in multiple categories, including batting average: Kyleigh Sand checks in at 5th in the league with a .412 average while Gabrielle Callaway is 10th with a .377.
  • Moreover, Sand is the Big Ten leader with 63 hits. Additionally, she has produced 46 runs, 3rd-most in the conference and is 5th with a .508 on-base %.
  • Gabrielle Callaway, #15, leads the teams with 47 RBIs in 52 hits.
  • Leading Rutgers's pitching staff is #9 Jaden Vickers with a 4.48 ERA. Vickers has totaled 14 wins in 24 appearances and struck out 153 batters in 151.2 innings.
 
RACHEL BECKER: SOLIDIFYING HER NAME IN PURDUE HISTORY
  • The 2021 First Team All-Big Ten selection set the Purdue single-season batting average record last year (.479), which was also fifth-best by a Big Ten player in league play history.
  • Becker also tied the Purdue single-season doubles record (18, joining 2001's Katie Crabtree) and finished second in on-base % (.539).
  • Ranks No. 41 nationally in batting average with .415.
  • No. 35 nationally with a .516 in on-base %.
  • Played and started every game as a Boilermaker.
 
ALEX ECHAZARRETA: PLAYING HER BEST SOFTBALL YET
  • The senior owns a 3.63 ERA and has notched nine wins this season after making 25 appearances and 14 starts over 92.2 innings of work. This comes compared to 2021's 5.06 ERA, which saw 13 appearances and 9 starts over 37.1 innings in the circle.
  • Echazarreta tossed her 100th strikeout of the season at Indiana on Tuesday and enters the weekend at 101.
  • With three complete game shutouts under her belt this season, Echazarreta is at the top of her game this year and is the only Boilermaker to have a shutout this season.
  • On her birthday, March 17th, Echazarreta shutout No. 22 USF on their home turf, allowing just two hits in the program's first top-25 victory since 2009.
  • Echazarreta set a career-high 12 strikeouts in the complete-game shutout of Lafayette College (6 innings) on 3/11.
  • Echazarreta's seven homers is the most by a Boilermaker in a single season since Jenny Behan in 2019 (13).