WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Boilermakers put an exclamation point on both Senior Day and the season finale with a 2-1 walk-off victory vs. Penn State at Bittinger Stadium. After entering the bottom of the seventh scoreless, fifth year Alex Echazarreta blasted a home run on a full count, before sophomore pinch hitter Olivia McFadden notched the game-winning RBI single.
Senior Alexa Pinarski (2-4) captured the win after a complete-game one-hitter performance, which included four strikeouts, a season-high and career-high-tying mark. The senior closed the book on her collegiate career with the best performance to date in the circle, as it was her first one-hitter over seven innings and her first complete game during Big Ten play this year. Pinarski did not allow any walks.
Echazarreta's home run to tie the game marked the third consecutive game the Reston, Virginia product has record a homer and the seventh in the last 10 games. It was her 12th shot of the year, becoming one of just eight Big Ten players to post as many homers this year.
Following Echazarreta's game-tying run, and just one out needed by Penn State to push the game to extras, senior first baseman Emilee Cox earned the walk, putting the game-winning run on-base. Sophomore Kyndall Bailey pinch ran for Cox, scoring the game-winner. Bailey was put in scoring position thanks to pinch hitter Bella Bacon's single to left field despite two outs on the board.
McFadden's game-winning at-bat marked the second time the sophomore has produced a walk-off victory for Purdue (last: 12th inning vs. Rutgers, 2022).
Purdue closes out the 2023 campaign with a 23-20, 6-17 Big Ten record.
Senior Alexa Pinarski (2-4) captured the win after a complete-game one-hitter performance, which included four strikeouts, a season-high and career-high-tying mark. The senior closed the book on her collegiate career with the best performance to date in the circle, as it was her first one-hitter over seven innings and her first complete game during Big Ten play this year. Pinarski did not allow any walks.
Echazarreta's home run to tie the game marked the third consecutive game the Reston, Virginia product has record a homer and the seventh in the last 10 games. It was her 12th shot of the year, becoming one of just eight Big Ten players to post as many homers this year.
Following Echazarreta's game-tying run, and just one out needed by Penn State to push the game to extras, senior first baseman Emilee Cox earned the walk, putting the game-winning run on-base. Sophomore Kyndall Bailey pinch ran for Cox, scoring the game-winner. Bailey was put in scoring position thanks to pinch hitter Bella Bacon's single to left field despite two outs on the board.
McFadden's game-winning at-bat marked the second time the sophomore has produced a walk-off victory for Purdue (last: 12th inning vs. Rutgers, 2022).
Purdue closes out the 2023 campaign with a 23-20, 6-17 Big Ten record.