Michigan State University
15-9, 0
Purdue
11-21, 0
Purdue Rally Sinks Spartans in B1G Opener
3/24/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score | PDF Box : Purdue 10, MSU 6 
SPARTAN SYNOPSIS
A big offensive inning for Purdue was the difference in the opening half of a Big Ten doubleheader, as a 10-run third propelled the Boilermakers to a 13-6 win over Michigan State on Friday afternoon.
The 10-spot for the Boilermakers in the third came on six hits, five walks and a hit batter. Purdue had taken a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, and the Spartans countered with a four-run top of the third, highlighted by a three-run home run by Kaityn Eveland, her third of the season. The Spartan pitchers - they used four- only allowed two runs after that, but the MSU offense couldn't counter the big inning by the host school.
In addition to Eveland's homer, Ebonee Echols had a two-RBI double, and both Lea Foerster and Sarah Gutknecht went 2-for-4 in the game. Freshman Melanie Baccay also had a double, her third of the season.
Bridgette Rainey took the loss in the circle, after freshman Jordan Watson got the start and tossed 2.2 innings, surrendering four runs on four hits, striking out one and walking two.
The teams play a second game at 7 pm Friday evening.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Lea Foerster and Sarah Gutknecht each went 2-for-4.
- Ebonee Echols had a two-RBI double .
- Kaitlyn Eveland hit a three-run homer in the third inning .
STATS AND STORYLINES
- In the bottom of the first, the Boilers got on the board after Kristen Hoppman was hit by a pitch stole second, and came home on a single up the middle by Mallory Baker. Alexa Binckes was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. A nice play by Kelly Zackrison in right corralled a fly ball by Kaylah Hampton, but it moved Baker to third and left runners at the corners for Brooke Perry, qho grou
- Melanie Baccay led off the third with a bloop double into shallow left, and Lea Foerster moved her to third with a single to right. A popup into left was dropped by the fielder, allowing Echols to reach and bringing home Baccay to tie the game 1-1 . With Foerster and Echols in scoring position and none out, Kaitlyn Eveland stepped in and smacked her third home run of the season over the left field wall to give the Spartans their first lead of the day, 4-1.
- Kaylah Hamption answered for the Boilermakers with a two-run shot with one out in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-3. A single by Perry into center spelled the end of the day for starter Jordan Watson, as she was relieved by Bridgette Rainey. Rainey gave up five walks (one with the bases loaded) and a pair of bases-loaded singles to allow Purdue to go up 9-4. Watson re-entered with the bases loaded, and gave up a single up the left field line by Lexi Huffman that tacked on two more to the Boiler lead. Watson got Ramsey looking at a called third strike to end the inning - but the Boilers scored 10 times in the frame to take an 11-4 advantage.
- The Spartans came back out in the top of the fourth determined to cut into the lead. A walk to Zackrison and a single by Foerster set up Ebonee Echols for an RBI double, bringing home both runners to make it 11-6. Echols stole third, and a long shot to the wall by Eveland was corralled by Hampton to end the inning.
- Valerie Kaff came on to pitch for MSU in the bottom of the fourth, and she was greeted with a single and a triple to the gap in center to push the Purdue lead back to six. A ground ball to second by Hoppman was the first out of the inning but brought home Hughes from third to re-establish a seven-run edge,
- Zalewski entered with one on in the fifth and got out of the inning without any runs crossing the plate. In the sixth, she got the first two batters before Baker reached on an error, and Binckes sent her to third with a double into right field. Hampton grounded out to third to end the inning and strand both runners.
- The 13 Purdue runs was the most surrendered by the Spartans this season. The previous high had been 10 vs. Tennessee Tech (March 11) on a walkoff 10-8 victory for the Golden Eagles.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Damon (6-6)
L: Watson, Jordan (5-2)
S: Moody (1)
Batting:
2B: Echols, Ebonee 1 ; Gutknecht, Sarah 1 ; Baccay, Melanie 1
HR: Eveland, Kaitlyn 1
RBI: Echols, Ebonee 2 ; Eveland, Kaitlyn 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Foerster, Lea 2 ; Echols, Ebonee 1 ; Eveland, Kaitlyn 1 ; Zackrison, Kelly 1 ; Baccay, Melanie 1
SB: Echols, Ebonee 1
Batting:
2B: Baker 1 ; Binckes 1
3B: Hughes 1
HR: Hampton 1
RBI: Hughes 3 ; Hoppman 1 ; Baker 1 ; Binckes 2 ; Hampton 2 ; Huffman 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Hughes 2 ; Hoppman 1 ; Baker 2 ; Binckes 1 ; Hampton 2 ; Huffman 1 ; Ramsey 1 ; Cavinder 2 ; Damon 1
SB: Hoppman 1
HBP: Hoppman 1 ; Binckes 1
