Softball team loses three
of four
The Purdue softball team went to Michigan for four
games this weekend but returned with just one win.
On Sunday the Boilers lost to Michigan State 8-3
in East Lansing, Mich.
Purdue (26-15-1, 3-5 Big Ten) was up 3-0 after
three innings, but a four-error fourth inning gave Michigan State (15-26,
2-4 Big Ten) a 4-3 lead.
"This team is on a roller coaster ride," said Purdue
coach Carol Bruggeman. "We play great one minute and then we're struggling
the next. We just have to find a way to get off that ride and be consistent."
On Saturday the Boilers beat Michigan State 5-1.
Purdue fell behind 1-0 in the first inning but
came back to tie it in the top of the fifth when freshman designated
player Sara Hall hit her third home run of the year.
In the sixth inning, sophomore third baseman Jesse
Jones singled to left field, scoring Crabtree on the hit. She advanced
to second and Tortorelli scored on a fielding error by the Michigan
State left fielder.
After a pitching change, sophomore Heidi Foster
hit her fifth home run of the year over the left center field fence
for two RBI and a 5-1 Purdue lead.
The five runs the Boilers scored against Michigan
State Saturday were more than they totaled in two games against Michigan
Friday in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The Boilers dropped both games of a doubleheader
to the Wolverines, falling 4-3 in the first game and 6-1 in the second.
"In the first game, our team fought hard," said
Bruggeman. "We were within one hit of pulling off the victory. In the
second game, Michigan swung their bats very well. They deserved the
win."
In the first game, the Boilermakers got an RBI
double from Jones in the top of the second inning to go up 1-0.
Michigan came back with a run in the third and
the Wolverines scored three runs on three hits and one error in the
fifth.
In the preceding inning Purdue got a two-run double
from Jones to make the score 4-3 in favor of Michigan.
Pitcher Leighann Burke (9-7) took the loss after
4.2 innings of work. She allowed seven hits, four runs and four walks
with no strikeouts against 15 batters. Junior Nicole Crouse allowed
two hits, no runs, no walks and no strikeouts against six batters.
In the second game, the Wolverines got two runs
on three hits in the third inning.
In the top of the fourth inning, Michigan scored
four runs on three hits as the Boilermakers committed two errors. Purdue
tried to rally in the sixth but they left the bases loaded to end the
inning.
Junior Meagan Dooley (8-4) took the loss with 2.2
innings pitched. She allowed six hits, two runs and no walks, while
striking out no one, facing 12 batters.
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