March 19, 2003
Bowling Green, Ky. - The Western Kentucky University softball team saw their eight-game winning streak come to an end on Wednesday night at the hands of the Purdue Boilermakers, who blanked the Hilltoppers over 15 innings of action. Purdue's pitchers surrendered just six hits over the course of the doubleheader, to drop WKU to 13-12 on the season.
The Hilltoppers next travel to Atlanta, Ga. to play in the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic, March 21-23.
Purdue 9, Western Kentucky 0 (Game One)
The visiting Boilermakers handed WKU their first loss in nine games after tallying nine runs and 16 hits, both season highs by a Western opponent. The Hilltopper offense was never able to get on track against Purdue starter Leighann Burke, who improved to 9-6 after recording her third shutout of the season.
The Boilermakers plated a run in each of the first two innings, to take an early 2-0 lead. Purdue's Tricia Lilley opened the game with a lead-off double and later scored off a RBI double from Heidi Foster. Purdue put the game out of reach in the top of the sixth, after Jesse Jones provided the knockout punch with a three-run double to clear the bases and push Purdue's lead to 7-0.
Freshman Adrienne Lathrop dropped to 7-3 on the season after giving up nine runs through six innings. Western stranded six runners in the game, including three during the fourth inning when they were unable to score after loading the bases.
Purdue 5, Western Kentucky 0 (8 innings, Game Two)
Purdue went from feast to famine in the second game as junior Allison Silver, who was named the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday, shutdown the Boilermakers for the first seven innings, but was unable to survive the eighth inning. Purdue scored five runs in the top of the eight, two of which were unearned, to sweep the doubleheader and knock Silver down to 6-4 on the year. Silver had a season high seven strikeouts in the loss, including three in the second inning. Burke came on in relief in the second game and picked up the win after pitching two scoreless innings to up her mark to 10-6.
The Hilltoppers missed an opportunity in the bottom of the seventh, failing to plate a run after loading the bases with one out. Senior Kristalyn Smith opened the inning with a lead-off double, to give WKU a runner on second with no outs. A sacrifice bunt from sophomore Dana Rey advanced Smith to third base. The Boilermakers took a risk by intentionally walking the next two batters, Silver and junior Samantha Hansen, to load the bases and give themselves force outs at each base. Purdue's move paid off when the next batter, freshman Adrienne Lathrop, lined into a double play at first to end the threat.
Sophomore Renita Pennington stole a base in each game of the doubleheader, giving her 11 on the season, one off the school record of 12.
- WKU -
