Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
PURDUE
Falcons Fall to Purdue, 5-2
February 27, 2005 | Softball
Feb. 27, 2005
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Katie Fortune homered twice to lift Purdue University to a 5-2 win over the Bowling Green State University softball team Sunday afternoon (Feb. 27). The game, BG's final contest in the Frost Classic, was held in Chattanooga, Tenn.
With the win, PU improves to 9-5 on the year, while dropping the Falcons to 0-6.
Fortune hit a two-run homer off junior Lindsay Heimrich in the top of the second inning, then had another two-run shot in the sixth to give the Boilermakers a 5-1 lead.
Both runs in the second inning were unearned. Heimrich struck out DaQueta Johnson to begin that inning, but Johnson reached on an error. After pair of grounders produced two outs, Fortune homered to leftfield to stake the Boilermakers to a two-run lead.
In the Falcon fourth, BG got a pair of baserunners with one out. Freshman Allison Vallas singled to right, and sophomore Kari Steigerwald was hit by a Diana LaRiva pitch. Junior Abby Habicht reached on a fielder's choice, with Steigerwald forced at second, for Vallas taking third. But, LaRiva got an inning-ending popup to end the threat.
Purdue used a two-out rally to up the lead to 3-0 in the fifth. Three consecutive singles plated the Boilers' third run of the game.
BGSU got on the board in the bottom of the frame, but left the bases loaded. Sophomore Emmy Ramsey greeted relief pitcher Brooke Baker with a walk, and took second on a single by classmate Jeanine Baca. Then, another soph, Megan McPherson, drew a walk to load the bases before junior Gina Rango's line single to center scored Ramsey and moved everyone up a base.
But, the Falcons were unable to score again in the inning, as McPherson was ruled out due to interference on a grounder by sophomore Ashley Zirkle for the first out. Then, another grounder led to a force play at the plate, and Baker worked out of the jam with a strikeout.
In the top of the sixth, a one-out walk was followed by Fortune's second homer of the day, this time to center.
BG got one run back in the seventh, as Rango led off with a single and took second on Zirkle's grounder. Vallas singled to move Rango to third, and she scored on a wild pitch. Habicht drew a walk to put two runners aboard, but Baker got a game-ending groundout.
Purdue had 10 hits to the Falcons' eight on the day, with Fortune picking up the lone multi-hit game for the Boilermakers. She was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and four driven in.
Rango had three of the Falcons' eight hits in four at-bats, with a run and an RBI. Vallas went 2-for-4 at the plate.
LaRiva picked up the win to improve to 4-1. She allowed four hits in her four innings of shutout ball, striking out three without issuing a walk. Baker got the save, allowing two runs and four hits in her three-inning relief stint. Baker walked three and fanned one.
Heimrich went all the way for the Falcons, allowing five runs (three earned) and 10 hits. She walked one batter and struck out three, but dropped to 0-2 on the year.
The Falcons will be in action next weekend, heading to Fullerton, Calif., for the Worth Invitational. BGSU's five games in that tournament will begin Friday (March 4), with contests vs. Minnesota and Pacific. The Falcons also face Cal State Fullerton, Nevada and Northwestern in that tourney.
