The Purdue softball team swept their way to the championship at the Bradley Invitational in Orland Park, Ill on Sunday. After winnning their two games on Saturday the Boilermakers defeated St. Xavier (Chicago), Bradley and Valparaiso to take home the title. The Boilermakes were the only undefeated team in the four pool, 20 team tournament.
Against St. Xavier, Purdue got things going right away with a run in the bottom of the first on a two-out single by right fielder Chrissy Davie that scored shortstop Katie Crabtree. The lone run was all pitchers Nicole Crouse and Leighann Burke would need, as the duo combined to blank Cougars, yielding only four hits while striking out three.
Like their two previous games in the invitational, the Boilers used a big inning to break the game open. With the score still 1-0 in the fourth, Purdue's bats exploded for four runs on five hits as the Boilermakers sent eight hitters to the plate. The offense was spread about, as six different batters collected hits on the day and all seven runs were scored by different players.
In the second game, starting pitcher Meagan Dooley and the Boilermakers gave up two early runs in the first inning and had to battle their way back to defeat Bradley. Bradley's pitching staff held the Boiler bats in check, giving up nothing through the first three innings. Skeeter Nixon broke the ice for Purdue in the bottom of the fourth with a lead-off single and a steal of second base. After Joy Ishida moved Nixon to third on a ground out, Katie Crabtree reached base on an infield single. Unable to bring home Nixon, Crabtree stole second placing her in scoring position for Chrissy Davie. Davie evened the score with a double to left-center, which scored both Nixon and Crabtree. The Boilers took their first lead of the game when designated player Danica Maher hit a one-out single over the shoulder of the Bradley first baseman. Maher was replaced by pinch-runner Briana Hensley, who was sacrificed to second on a clutch bunt by catcher Keely Povlitz. With two outs Nixon delivered a single to center that scored Hensley on a bang-bang play at the plate.
The Purdue lead didn't last as Bradley got a two-out single in the top of the sixth to even the score at three. However, the Boilermakers wasted little time regaining the lead when Crabtree singled and stole second to lead off the home half of the sixth. After a Davie strike out and third baseman Jesse Jones hit a hard hit line which was caught by the left fielder, Heidi Foster ripped a two-out single between first and second scoring Crabtree with the game winning run.
Leighann Burke picked up the victory in relief for the Boilers, her second of the tournament.
In the third game of the tournament the Boilers defeated Valparaiso 3-1 behind the arms of Nicole Crouse, Dooley, Crystal Inman and Burke. The quartet combined to hold Valpo to the lone run on six hits, while striking out four. The Boilermakers managed only seven hits, but made good use of the offensive production. Purdue scored all three runs with two outs in the inning. Nixon went 2-3 with a run and two stolen bases in the game. Crouse picked up the victory, her second of the weekend.
The Boilermakers return to action in October when they host the Boilermaker Fall Classic on the 9-10th.