April 1, 2007
West Lafayette, IN – Senior Mindy Heidgerken hit a sacrifice fly to score sophomore Rachel West in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Iowa a 4-3, extra-inning win over Purdue Sunday. Iowa won game one of the doubleheader, 6-1, to give Iowa a 27-13 overall record and a perfect 4-0 mark in Big Ten play.
West reached first on a bunt single to start the bottom of the ninth. She then stole second and third before Heidgerken lifted a fly ball to center field to plate the winning run.
Purdue took an early lead in game two, plating two runs in the top of the first. DaQueta Johnson hit a two-RBI single to right field to give the Boilermakers the lead.
Iowa cut Purdue’s lead to 2-1 in their half of the first with an RBI double by sophomore Summer Downs. Sophomore Erin Riemersma walked to start the inning and scored from first as Downs’ double sailed to the fence.
The Hawkeyes tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth. West doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior Stephanie Ackerson. West scored on an RBI single by Riemersma.
Purdue regained the lead in the top of the seventh with an RBI single by Katie Mitchell, but Iowa forced extra innings in the bottom of the seventh. Senior Sami Baugh pinch-hit to start the inning and reached first on an error. Senior Jenna Spratt then pinch-ran for Baugh and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Heidgerken. Freshman Katie Brown then roped an RBI single to center that scored Spratt to tie the game.
Sophomore Brittany Weil threw 3 and 2/3 innings of relief in her 10th win of the season. Freshman Amanda Zust started her first career Big Ten game and threw just over five innings. She struck out seven and walked two.
In game one, Purdue jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second with an RBI double by Jenna Alexander. Iowa tied the contest in the top of the fourth off a Purdue error. Junior Emily Nichols started the inning with a single and sophomore Callie Adreon took her place at first. Adreon then moved to second on a Downs sacrifice bunt and hustled to third on a infield single by sophomore Colleen McGlaughlin. Purdue’s Candace Curtis then tried to throw out McGlaughin at first, but the throw sailed into the Iowa dugout, allowing Adreon to score.
The Hawkeyes took a 3-1 lead in the top of the fifth. Nichols hit a ground ball with the bases loaded, which allowed sophomore Lindsey Digmann to score the go-ahead run. Downs then roped a bases loaded, RBI-single to score sophomore Riemersma, who reached earlier in the inning on a fielder’s choice.
Riemersma gave Iowa a 6-1 advantage in the top of the sixth with a towering three-run home run. Heidgerken reached first to start the inning with a bunt single and then stole second. Purdue then committed its third error of the inning on a ground ball by Digmann, followed by Riemersma’s deep home run to left field.
Riemersma, McGlaughlin and Heidgerken each collected two hits for Iowa at the plate.
Weil picked up her third-straight Big Ten win and improved her overall record to 9-1. Weil allowed one run on three hits while striking nine and walking three.
Iowa returns to Pearl Field Tuesday to face intra-state rival Iowa State. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.