April 26, 2008
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West Lafayette, IN – The 25th-ranked University of Iowa softball team plated six runs in the top of the seventh to record an 8-5 win at Purdue Saturday. The Hawkeyes were trailing, 3-2, going into the seventh before exploding for six runs on four hits to gain the victory.
Sophomore Lindsey Digmann started the rally with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Rachel West. Freshman Chelsey Carmody drew a walk and sophomore Taylor Leichsenring then slapped a ball to third that was mishandled, loading the bases with one out. Junior Colleen McGlaughlin followed with a sharp ground ball to shortstop that bounced off Candace Curtis’ glove and rolled to the outfield, allowing the tying and go-ahead run to score at 4-3.
Junior Erin Riemersma kept the inning alive with a single up the middle that scored Leichsenring to make the score 5-3. After Riemersma stole second, sophomore Katie Brown lined a shot to left field that plated both McGlaughlin and Riemersma. Senior Emily Nichols capped the rally with a triple to the right field fence to score Brown.
Purdue made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh, plating two runs off a double by Kelsey Haupert with two outs, but Iowa sealed the win when Digmann caught a fly ball in center field.
“We stuck to the game plan and I feel like the team bought into it during the final innings,” Head Coach Gayle Blevins said. “Hitting is contagious and we were able to string together two innings to finish the game. The team had a never-say-die attitude going into the final innings and it got us a win today.”
Purdue took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first off a Hawkeye error. Ashley Hall was hit by a pitch to start the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Candace Curtis then lined a shot to center field that was dropped, allowing Hall to score from second base.
The Boilermakers added two more runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-0 lead. Two walks and a single off starting pitcher Amanda Zust forced an Iowa pitching change. Junior Brittany Weil came in relief with the bases loaded and no outs, and struck out the first two batters she faced. Weil then gave up a bloop single that just dropped under the outstretched glove West in left field, plating two Purdue baserunners.
Iowa cut the deficit to one run at 3-2 in the top of the sixth. Carmody lead off the frame with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice by Leichsenring. Later in the inning with two outs, Riemersma ripped a grounder off Hall’s glove at third that plated Carmody for the first Hawkeye run. After senior Summer Downs singled, Brown dropped a single into right field that scored Riemersma.
Downs and Brown each had two hits while Brown added three RBI. Carmody and Riemersma scored two runs.
Weil picked up her 22nd win, tossing six innings relief. She allowed no earned runs on three hits with five strikeouts.
The Hawkeyes will travel to Bloomington, IN, for a Sunday doubleheader against the Hoosiers. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. (CDT).