Boilers finish fourth with 2-2 record.
March 26, 2000
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue softball team split it's final two game at the Boilermaker Invitational on Sunday. The Boilers (17-16) defeated Toledo 7-2 and fell to Notre Dame 4-0, finishing the Invitational in fourth place with a 2-2 record. Four-time defending champion Michigan added another title to their record going 4-0.
"We're right there," coach Carol Bruggeman said. "We played well in both games today, our pitching and defense carried us again. Against Toledo we hit the ball really well, but we couldn't break through against Notre Dame. We've got two more non-conference games to get the offense on track before the Big Ten season. We know that we can do the job offensively, we just have to relax and get after it."
The Boilers rapped out 15 hits in their first game against Toledo. Scoring two runs in the first and fourth and one a piece in the second, third and fifth. Jessica Jones and Skeeter Nixon, both named to the All-Invitational team, led the way offensively, collecting seven of the 15 hits for Purdue. Jones ended up a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while Nixon was 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
Senior Crystal Inman (4-1), named to the All-Invitational team for her heroic seventh inning home run on Saturday, collected the win in four innings of work. Nicole Crouse picked up her first save of the season, pitching the final three innings.
Against Notre Dame, whom the Boilers had split with earlier in the week in South Bend, Purdue could only manage two hits all game. The Irish's Jennifer Sharron (11-4) did not allow a Purdue runner past second on her way to the complete game, seven strikeout performance. Purdue starter Leighann Burke (5-6) took the loss.
Michigan's Melinda Moulden was named the Invitational MVP. Joining Nixon, Jones and Inman on the All-Invitational team were Stefanie Volpe and Marie Barda from Michigan, Melanie Alkire and Jennifer Kriech from Notre Dame, Christin Evans and Gina Calderone from Bradley and Grete Hornstrom and Jamie Kraus from Kent.
In other games Michigan defeated Bradley 3-0 and Kent 20-1. Notre Dame beat Toledo 12-1, while Bradley downed Kent 11-6.
The Boilermakers travel to Terre Haute, Ind., on Wednesday to take on Indiana State before meeting up with Michigan State on Friday for the first double-header of the Big Ten season.