Michigan State University
7-19, 0-4
Purdue
17-16-1, 4-0
Spartans Fall vs. Purdue
3/28/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 28, 2014
East Lansing, Mich. - - Purdue put together 13 hits and belted three home runs to post a 10-1 victory over Michigan State in the first of three games between the two teams on Friday afternoon. The Spartans had just one hit after the third inning, as Purdue pitcher Lilly Fecho went the distance, scattering four hits and allowing just a second-inning run. Kelly Smith pitched the full seven innings for the Spartans, giving up big innings in the fourth and sixth frames.
MSU dropped its fourth straight and falls to 7-19 (0-4 B1G), while Purdue improves to 17-16-1, 4-0 Big Ten. Katy McJunkin and Andie Varsho each had three hits for the Boilers, while Alyssa McBride extended her hitting streak to three games with an RBI single in the second inning.
The first baserunners of the game went to Purdue in the top of the second. With two out, Smith walked Maia Monchek on a 3-2 pitch, and Katy McJunkin followed with an infield single to put runners and first and second. Smith got Mary Gooding to ground out to short to end the inning and extinguish the Purdue threat.
Shanin Thomas led off the bottom of the second with a single down the left-field line, putting a baserunner on for MSU for the first time of the day. Back-to-back sacrifice bunts by Luna and Nielsen got Thomas over to third, bringing Alyssa McBride to the plate. The centerfielder bounced an infield single to short to plate Thomas, giving the Spartans a 1-0 lead, and McBride a hit in her fourth consecutive game. Lindsey Besson struck out to end the inning, but MSU took a 1-0 lead into the third inning.
Purdue looked to rally as Paris Andrew led off with a walk, and Andie Varsho reached on a fielder's choice. The senior stole second, and was moved over to third on a groundout by Lindsey Rains. After a walk to Taylor Chiodo put runners on the corners, Smith got Ashley Burkhardt to ground out to short to work her way out of the jam and bring MSU to the plate in the bottom of the inning with a 1-0 lead.
Purdue jumped early in the top of the fourth. Danielle Fletcher worked a nine-pitch walk off of Smith, and Monchak followed with a seeing-eye single that just eluded Destinee Luna to her right and trickled into left. McJunkin tried to bunt the runners over, but had to pull back the bunt when she started with an 0-2 count. McJunkin took the next pitch, then sent a 1-2 offering into right field for a triple, plating two runs for the Boilermakers to give them the first lead of the day. Smith was called for an illegal pitch to CJ Parsons, sending McJunkin home for a 3-1 Purdue advantage, all before recording an out. Smith got Parksons to pop out to Luna at short and Andrew to line out to center, but Varsho laced a two-out double to the gap in right center. Rains laid down a perfect bunt up the third-base line, moving Varsho to third and putting runners at the corners. Smith got Chido to fly out to center to end the inning, but the Boilermakers took a 3-1 advantage.
Purdue extended its lead with a Burkhardt home run on a first-pitch line drive to center in the top of the fifth, her seventh of the season. A pair of walks put runners at first and second; she got Parsons looking for the second out, and a flyout to right by Andrew got MSU out of the inning without any further damage.
Varsho led off the top of the sixth with a home run, and was followed by the reigning Big Ten Player of the week Chiodo with a shot to center field that pushed Purdue's lead to 6-1. Burkhardt followed with a third consecutive hit, a single to right, and Fletcher banged a double off the wall in right for a 7-1 lead. Smith got Monchek on a long flyout to right, moving Fletcher to third on the play. That brought McJunkin back to the plate with one on; she hit a high popup to plate Fletcher, which moved Purdue's lead to 8-1.
Two more runs for the Boilers, on a two-run single by pinch hitter Lexi Vallone, gave the Boilers a 10-1 lead before MSU could record an out in the top of the seventh. Despite allowing two more baserunners, Smith eventually worked out of her jam, getting Michelle Poe on a strikeout to end the top of the seventh and bringing the Spartans to the plate for their final chance. The Spartans went quietly, despite Besson reaching on a two-out error. Purdue extended its winning streak to seven games, and MSU dropped its fourth straight.
The two teams will be off on Saturday, then will play a doubleheader on Sunday, beginning at noon at the Boilermaker Softball Stadium.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fecho, L. (13-8)
L: Smith, Kelly (2-8)
Batting:
2B: Varsho, A. 2 ; Fletcher, D. 1
3B: McJunkin, K. 1
HR: Varsho, A. 1 ; Chiodo, T. 1 ; Burkhardt 1
RBI: Varsho, A. 1 ; Valone, L. 2 ; Chiodo, T. 1 ; Burkhardt 1 ; Fletcher, D. 1 ; McJunkin, K. 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Varsho, A. 2 ; Chiodo, T. 1 ; Burkhardt 2 ; Fletcher, D. 2 ; Monchek, M. 1 ; McJunkin, K. 1 ; Andrew, P. 1
SB: Varsho, A. 1 ; Rains, L. 1 ; Burkhardt 1
Batting:
RBI: McBride, Alyssa 1
SH: Luna, Destinee 1 ; Nielsen, Carly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Thomas, Shanin 1
SB: Freimuth, McKinzie 1 ; McBride, Alyssa 1
HBP: Luna, Destinee 1
