Softball to Close Regular Season at Iowa

SERIES INFORMATION
Friday, May 6
at Iowa | 6 p.m. ET | B1G+
 
Saturday, May 7
at Iowa | 3 p.m. ET | B1G+

Sunday, May 8
at Iowa | 1 p.m. ET | B1G+
 
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Coming off a series victory over Rutgers last weekend, the Purdue softball team (22-29, 5-14 Big Ten) are slated to take on Iowa in Iowa City for the regular season finale.

The three-game series will air on B1G+ and will be played Friday at 6 p.m. ET, Saturday at 3 p.m. ET and conclude Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.             
 
SCHEDULE NOTES

• With just three games remaining in the regular season, the Boilermakers are in position to make the Big Ten tournament in East Lansing. The tournament bracket will be released Sunday night.
• Purdue is set to play its first game in Iowa City since May 6, 2018, when Purdue shut out Iowa, 6-0.
• Purdue spent the first 36 games on the road and has played in 48 games this season, the second-most in the Big Ten heading into the penultimate weekend (Most games played by a Big Ten team: Rutgers, 50 games).
• 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 on Thursday, March 17. The win also marked the first top-25 victory for head coach Boo De Oliveira.

 
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS AT A GLANCE

• Purdue recorded three home runs last Sunday vs. Rutgers, moving the squad to 33 on the season, the 4th-most in program history and most since 2011's 36 homers. Meanwhile, the team's 14 sac flies tie as second-most in program history (14 sac flies in 2005).
• Senior shortstop Rachel Becker leads the Big Ten with a .421 batting average. If the season were to end today, that would stand as the fourth-best mark by a Boilermaker in a single season. Moreover, Becker would join Andie Varsho (2011-14) as just the second Boilermaker to post two seasons above .415.
• Freshman Ryen Ross is playing some of her best softball, reaching base in five straight games, the second longest active streak among Boilermakers.
• Alex Echazarreta leads the Boilermakers in the circle after tossing 95.2 innings and a 3.73 ERA. Meanwhile, the power hitter is second on the team offensively in slugging % (.598), on-base % (.440) and batting avg. (.333).

 
IOWA HAWKEYES AT A GLANCE

• With three Hawkeyes with at least a .300 batting avg, the team is led by Nina Carter (.385). Meanwhile, Brylee Klostermann owns a team-best 32 runs and Denali Loecker serves as their power hitter, tallying 10 homers and a .587 slugging %.
• Iowa's bullpen is headed by Denali Loecker (10-9 record, 4.79 ERA) and Breanna Vasquez (6-13 record, 4.77 ERA).

 
SERIES VICTORY VS RUTGERS

• In Purdue's last home series of the season, the Boilermakers won 2-1 vs. Rutgers.
• In Game 2 of Friday's doubleheader, Purdue won 3-2 after setting the Bittinger Stadium record for longest game and tied the program record, with its 12-inning decision. Furthermore, it marked Purdue's first comeback win of the year after trailing the first six innings.
• With the bases loaded and a full count for Olivia McFadden in Game 2 Friday night, the freshman third baseman earned the walk for Purdue's victory.
• Purdue recorded three homers on Senior Day (W, 8-2): Rachel Becker (Leadoff, first inning), Jade Moy (first inning) and Kaeley Hallada (fifth inning).

 
RACHEL BECKER: SOLIDIFYING HER NAME IN PURDUE HISTORY

• Becker is set to become just the second Boilermaker in program history to post back-to-back seasons with over a .400 batting avg (2021: .479, 2022: .421), joining Andie Varsho (2013-14).
• Ranks 27th nationally in on-base % (.520), 30th in batting average (.421), 47th in hits (59).
• Becker is one run shy of tying her 2021 season run total (40).
• Becker currently owns a .520 on-base %. Should she stay above .500 the conclusion of the season, Becker will be just the second Boilermaker in program history to earn a .500 ob% or better in two separate seasons (joins Andrea Hillsey (2003 & 2005).
• Currently, Becker leads the team after reaching base in the past 11 straight games (longest: 15) and is on a six-game hitting streak (longest: 8).
• 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) in 2021.

 
ALEX ECHAZARRETA: RISING TO THE NEXT LEVEL 

• On Tuesday, Echazarreta, a senior, announced her return to Purdue for her fifth year, granted due to the COVID-shortened season.
• Echazarreta's three shutouts are the most by a Boilermaker in a single season since Lilly Fecho (2013-16).
• The senior owns a 3.73 ERA and a 9-8 record after making 26 appearances and 15 starts over 95.2 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.
• 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's seven homers is the most by a Boilermaker in a single season since Jenny Behan in 2019 (13).
• Echazarreta set a career-high 12 strikeouts in the complete-game shutout of Lafayette College (6 innings) on 3/11. Additionally, she tossed her 100th strikeout of the season at Indiana last Tuesday and enters the weekend at 103.