WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Boilers defeated Ohio State 12-6 in a slugfest at Bittinger Stadium on Friday night, moving to 1-0 in Big Ten Conference play and 20-6 on the season.
Purdue had 12 hits while scoring 12 runs to take down the Buckeyes in game one of the three-game series. The last time Purdue defeated Ohio State was during the Big Ten Tournament in 2025, upsetting the No. 21 ranked team in the country at the time.
BOILER BITS
Offensive Highlights
- Moriah Polar: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2B, 3 R
- Anna Moore: 3-for-3, 2 RBI, 3 R
- Khloe Banks: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 R
- Delaney Reefe: 2-for-4, 3 RBI, 2B
Pitching Breakdown - Julia Gossett: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 11 BF
- Brianna Fontenot: (W, 7-3) 5.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 23 BF
The Buckeye bats began hot, starting the game with a home run over the left field wall before Gossett worked her way back, striking out one and forcing a double play.
In the bottom of the inning, Moriah Polar, the new national hits leader, continued her streak, beating out an infield single. Anna Moore, the reigning freshman of the week, followed with a walk. An error from Ohio State loaded the bases for Bella Douglas who was hit by a pitch to force in the tying run.
Delaney Reefe took the lead for the Boilers on a two-RBI double, but Douglas was thrown out on the relay at the plate to end the first.
The Hawkeyes tied it back up in the top of the third on the back of two solo homers, forcing the pitching change from the Boilers, bringing in freshman Bri Fontenot.
In the bottom of the inning, the Boilers retook the lead, plating two runs on a single up the middle from Haley Painter. Painter’s single scored Polar and Moore, who got aboard earlier in the inning on back-to-back singles, including Polar’s 50th hit of the season.
Relief pitcher, Fontenot, stood tall in the top of the fourth, striking out her second batter of the game, and keeping the Buckeyes off of the basepaths.
Ashlynn Campbell started Purdue in the bottom of the fourth with a single through the right side, followed by another from Khloe Banks. With two on base, Polar came to the plate, earning her third hit of the day, a two-RBI double to center which brought Purdue out to a 7-3 lead.
The Boilers added one more to the inning, on an infield single Moore beat out and an errant throw from the Buckeyes, which brought Polar around.
Other than a solo homer from the Buckeyes in the top of the fifth, the inning was quiet, with the Boilers going down in order.
The Purdue bats exploded in the bottom of the sixth, plating four runs on three hits and one Ohio State error. Banks led off the inning with a double up the middle before scoring on another RBI single from Moore. An RBI fielder’s choice from Bella Douglas plated the second run of the inning before Moore came around to score on another errant throw from Ohio State.
Julia Gossett picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly to center, and Reefe came through again, sending another RBI single up the middle to score the fourth run of the inning.
The Buckeyes fought back in the top of the seventh, plating one run, but Fontenot shut down the threat, earning her first-career conference victory and moving to 7-3 on the season.
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