Clutch Hitting Pushes Wisconsin Over Purdue
April 23, 2006 | Softball
Alexis Garcia knocked two big hits for three RBIs to propel the Wisconsin softball team to a 6-2 win over Purdue on Sunday afternoon at the Varsity Softball Complex. Nine different Badgers combined for 12 hits in the victory.
Garcia finished the game 2-for-4 with her fourth career double, also tying her career high by driving in three runs. Valyncia Raphael went a perfect three-for-three on the day, recording the first three-hit game of her career.
Eden Brock (15-9) worked a complete game in the circle, scattering six hits for two runs, only one of which was earned. Brock also struck out four and did not issue a walk
Brooke Baker (13-13) suffered the loss, giving up six runs on 12 hits in seven innings. Baker struck out three Badgers and allowed four free passes.
The Badgers (19-18, 4-7) struck immediately as Sam Polito drew a walk to lead off the game and moved to second off a sacrifice bunt by Katie Hnatyk. With two down, sophomore Joey Daniels stepped up and delivered an RBI double into left-center, easily scoring Polito.
The RBI double was Daniels' second in as many days and was her fourth two-bagger of the season. Fifteen of her 21 RBIs this year have come with two down in the inning.
Purdue (26-27, 4-10) grabbed a pair of runs in the second when Tricia Lilley led off the frame with a single and DaQueta Johnson reached on an error. With two runners in scoring position and no outs, Erika Peterson dropped a double into center, giving the Boilermakers a one-run lead.
The Badgers wasted no time getting the runs back, loading the bases with two outs in the top of the third for Garcia. The freshman took Baker's offering to the wall in left-center to score Theresa Boruta and Daniels to give Wisconsin a 3-2 lead.
Wisconsin tacked on insurance in the fifth when Hnatyk ripped a leadoff single to left and advanced as the ball got past Purdue left fielder Tiffany Krcelich. Hnatyk then took third on a perfectly placed sacrifice from Daniels. Garcia came up next, knocking her third RBI of the game on a single down the left-field line.
With two down in the inning, Raphael followed with a single into shallow right and she and pinch-runner Jessica Kertz both moved into scoring position on the throw by the right fielder, Johnson. Coming on as a pinch-hitter, Kaitlin Reiss put a single into right field to score both runners, setting the score at the 6-2 final.
Wisconsin and Purdue will play game two of the doubleheader beginning shortly.
