March 13, 1999
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The train has stopped momentarily for the Purdue softball team (11-6). After winning five in a row at the National Invitational Softball Tournament, the Boilers lost a well-played 2-0 contest to California (23-5) on Saturday afternoon, causing a temporary setback in the double-elimination championship bracket. Purdue was scheduled to play its' fourth game of the day on Saturday night against the winner of the Arkansas/Loyola-Marymount contest. If the Boilers win, they will play Sunday morning. If they lose, they will finish as one of the top six teams in the tourney.
"I am very proud of this team," head coach Carol Bruggeman said. "We have played very well against some top caliber teams. I think we've found another piece of the puzzle by coming from behind to win games."
Against California, the Boilers scattered five hits and left five runners on base. The Golden Bears managed seven hits and stranded seven runners of their own, but also brought home single runs in the first and fourth innings.
"California got some key hits with runners on base and we didn't, otherwise it was a well-played game," Bruggeman said. "One of our goals for this tournament is still intact. We want to play on Sunday."
Freshman Katie Crabtree had two hits in the game for Purdue, boosting her tournament-hitting totals to 10-for-18 (.556), including four stolen bases and three runs. Freshman pitcher Meagan Dooley took the loss (5-3), allowing two runs in three innings before giving way to freshman Nicole Crouse who threw three scoreless innings of relief. Crouse's pitching totals in the tournament feature three wins, one save and two earned runs in 23.2 innings (0.59 ERA).
Prior to facing California, Purdue met a hot team in Cal-Poly (California-Polytechnic). The Mustangs (9-14) had won three of their last four before falling to the Boilers in a real roller coaster.
In the top of the fifth, Cal-Poly capitalized on two doubles, an error and a walk to tie the score at 4-4. In the bottom of the frame, Crabtree reached base on a single, bringing senior Mandy Smart to the plate. On the first pitch, Smart tried to slap the ball to the left side and missed, but the home plate umpire was unclear on whether or not Smart swung at the ball. Two pitches later, Coach Bruggeman confirmed the count at 2-1 with the home-plate umpire, but when Smart swung and missed at the next pitch she was called out on strikes. After an extended discussion with the home-plate and third-base umpires, Bruggeman was ejected and assistant coach Christy Connoyer made her debut as the third base coach.
Riding a wave of emotion, Purdue put together a rally in the last of the sixth to break the tie. With runners on second and third and two outs, senior Denise Szany lined a 3-2 pitch into right field to put Purdue ahead for good at 6-4. Dooley sent down Cal-Poly in order in the seventh to raise her record to 5-2.
In the first game of bracket play, the Boilers jumped out to an early advantage against San Jose State (8-20), when Szany singled home junior Skeeter Nixon in the first inning. San Jose tied the score on two hits and a wild pitch by Dooley in the second. The score remained knotted at one until the fifth, when sophomore Keely Povlitz nailed a two-out double to left center and senior Sam Mercier brought her home with a bloop single to right. Dooley gave up a leadoff triple in the sixth, but Crouse entered the game in relief and retired the next three batters to snuff out the rally. Crouse (6-3) held on in the seventh to earn her first save of the year and preserve the victory for Dooley.
R H E
San Jose State 1 5 1
Purdue 2 5 1
Cal-Poly 4 7 3
Purdue 6 10 2
Purdue 0 5 0
California 2 7 2