Softball team comes close to defeating Hawkeyes

Liz Nicol/Photo Editor LEAKED: Purdue shortstop Katie Crabtree watches the ball bounce past as an Iowa runner steals second Sunday. Purdue lost all four games this weekend — two apiece with Northwestern and Iowa.

By Jason Tomcsi
Sports Editor

The Boilermakers were able to hang with the No. 19 Iowa Hawkeyes for both games of Saturday's doubleheader, but Purdue came up short in both games dropping their fourth game straight this weekend.

Purdue (27-15, 0-6 Big Ten) played the Hawkeyes (23-12, 6-0 Big Ten) close for both games losing the first 3-2 in eight innings and the second game 2-1.

"We felt like we fought very hard against Iowa," said head coach Carol Bruggeman. "Much better than the Northwestern series."

In the first game the Hawkeyes scored two runs in the third inning on two hits and one error.

Purdue would not answer those two runs until the bottom of the sixth, when short stop Katie Crabtree scored off a double to left center field by center fielder Andrea Roush. Laura Martin stepped up for the Boilermakers and hit a double to right center field bringing in Roush and tying the game at 2 runs apiece.

Neither team was able to score in the seventh inning, sending the game into extra innings.

In the top of the eighth Iowa scored the final and deciding run putting the score at 3-2.

Nicole Crouse went all eight innings for the Boilermakers allowing six hits with six strike-outs.

In the second game Iowa jumped on the board first scoring a run in the bottom of the first when left fielder Liz Dennis scored.

Purdue did not answer the Hawkeyes until the top of the fourth — it scored to tie the game at one. Iowa in the fifth inning would go ahead 2-1 off a home run by senior first baseman Alicia Gerlach.

That run would prove to be enough to beat the Boilers. The win put the Hawkeyes in first place in the Big Ten.

Purdue has lost six of their last eight games and have not been able to have the success in the Big Ten like it did during the non- conference season.

"We really haven't been sharp yet in the Big Ten," said Bruggeman. "The rest of our season we have played very well in, but in the Big Ten we have played very poorly."

The Boilers feel that once they get out of their rut and start playing well, they will be able to dominate the conference.

"We' re just one play away, or one hit away from turning the corner," said Bruggeman. "It's hard when you get in a rut, to get out of that rut."

Bruggeman said it was good to see her team in every game against Iowa, but they are still not playing Purdue softball.

"We are not into moral victories at Purdue. But the good news is we were right there with them," said Bruggeman. "The bad news is that we had every opportunity to beat them in both games."

Purdue will try to get back on track this Tuesday when they play Ball State in a double header and according to junior first baseman Heidi Foster the team will be able to turn it around.

"We just keep fighting and fighting. We get bad breaks sometimes, but it will all come together," said Foster.

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SPORTS DESK PHONE:
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Sports editor: Jason Tomcsi

Assistant sports editor:
Andrew Hershberger

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