Softball team battles Western Michigan

By Shawn McGann
Staff Writer

The Purdue softball team split games Wednesday in defensive struggles against Western Michigan.

In the first game, Purdue won 1-0 in late innings. Purdue lost the second game 2-1 in 10 innings.

In the first game, the teams battled through six innings of scoreless softball with both teams showing good defense and pitching.

In the top of the seventh, errors by Purdue infielders Jesse Jones and Katie Crabtree put Western Michigan runners on first and second. A dropped ball on a play at first was another near error for Boilers, but the umpire ruled that Heidi Foster had possession of the ball long enough to get a force-out at first. That left runners at first and second with two outs. Crabtree then ended Western Michigan's threat with another force-out at first base.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, several Boilermakers had key hits, led by Jones who had a triple with one out.

"I think in a game like that, your team is pulling behind you, and you want to give it 100 percent," Jones said. "The team is looking for anybody and everybody to get a hit, and there was a lot of confidence from my teammate Kate Crabtree."

Jones remained on third as two of the following three batters reached base for Purdue.

That brought up freshman Holly Streed. She hit a full-count pitch to right field for a single that scored Jones. Streed's RBI ended the six and a half inning scoring drought and the first game of the double header.

The second was more of the same as Western Michigan and Purdue had another defensive war. The tone of the game was set at the time of the first out when Purdue right fielder Chrissie Davie made a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch.

In the bottom of the third inning, Sara Hall brought in Andrea Roush on a sacrifice for the game's first score. The Broncos tied the game in the fifth inning with their first score of the day.

Purdue played great defense in the sixth inning. Three straight Broncos faced pitcher Nicole Crouse. Each batter made solid contact, but back-to-back-to-back acrobatic catches by Streed, Crabtree and Hall forced outs.

The Boilermakers found themselves in a familiar position in the seventh inning. With the game tied and one out on the board, Purdue had the bases loaded. Purdue's best chance to win the game dwindled quickly and Western Michigan got the next two outs. Purdue left the inning with three runners stranded on base.

In the eighth inning, Meagan Dooley relieved Crouse with two outs and runners at the corners. Dooley forced a groundout and Western Michigan's threat ended. Lynne Tortorelli doubled with one out in the bottom of the ninth and moved to third after a fielder's choice. Purdue again was unable to drive in the winning run and Tortorelli was left stranded.

In the top of the 10th inning, Western Michigan took the lead with one run and held Purdue scoreless in the bottom half of the inning to take the game 2-1.

"I think that a lot of us were just trying to adjust to the pitcher and a lot of times people were getting hits, but they just weren't going through," Jones said regarding Purdue's offensive performance.

The Boilers face Illinois in a doubleheader at 2 p.m. Friday at the Varsity Softball Complex.

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