IU loses series to Purdue

The IU softball team (10-26-1, 2-7) looked to earn its second conference victory of the season this weekend against Purdue (20-18-1, 7-2).

After dropping both games in Saturday’s doubleheader, IU secured a 5-2 victory Sunday.

IU Coach Michelle Gardner made a point in practice last week to limit the opposing run production. The team did that this week, allowing 10 runs in the series — the lowest amount of runs allowed in a weekend series since conference play began.

Gardner attributed the success against Purdue to IU’s pitchers keeping the ball down in the zone.

“We’ve been working on keeping the ball down,” Gardner said. “Other than a few pitches, I think we did a good job with it this weekend.”

Purdue got off to a hot start offensively in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader and won 4-1.

With Purdue senior right fielder Andie Varsho on third, center fielder Lindsey Rains on second and first baseman Ashley Burkhardt on third, senior catcher Danielle Fletcher stepped up to the plate.

With one out, Fletcher drove a ball to left field for a grand slam, giving Purdue an early 4-0 lead.

Purdue sophomore pitcher Lilly Fecho earned the win, pitching a complete game while allowing just four hits and one earned run. She also struck out four of the 29 batters she faced.

In the second game of the afternoon, Purdue won again 4-1.

Gardner decided to make a change in the leadoff spot in an attempt to increase the opposing pitch count.

IU junior center fielder Brianna Meyer was moved from the second spot to leadoff, and senior shortstop Breanna Saucedo was moved to the second spot in the lineup.

Gardner said the change was made because of Meyer’s plate discipline.

“Bri tends to take more pitches,” she said. “We decided to make the change and to see more pitches, and it worked.”

Meyer said that although she has batted in the leadoff position in the past, it felt a bit different doing it over the weekend.

“It was a bit different, but I really liked it,” Meyer said. “It gave me a little more confidence.”

She hit a single to second base on the first at-bat of the game.

Both teams were held scoreless until the third inning.

In the top half of the frame, the Hoosiers drove in the first run of the game when senior left fielder Jenna Abraham hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive Mathewson across the plate.

With Varsho and freshman shortstop Kristen Hoppman on base, senior infielder Tori Chiodo hit a three-run home run to center field to give Purdue a 3-1 lead.

After IU was unable to register a hit in the top of the fourth, Purdue struck again in the bottom of the inning when freshman Katy McJunkin scored from third on a wild pitch.

Senior pitcher Meaghan Murphy got the start for IU. She pitched four complete innings allowing five hits and four runs.

After losing the first two games of the weekend, IU defeated Purdue 5-2 in dramatic fashion in Sunday’s game.

The Hoosiers struck first in the top of the opening frame.

Abraham hit a sacrifice fly to center field, driving in Meyer in the process.

After going two innings without scoring, Purdue scored its only two runs of the game in the home half of the third.

A double to right field by Fletcher drove in Chiodo and Rains.

After being held scoreless in four straight innings, IU tied the game when Meyer hit a solo home run to right field.

In the top of the final inning, Meyer’s strong offensive output continued.

Following a Gogreve solo home run to left field, Meyer hit a single up the middle of the field to drive in two runs.

Murphy would hold Purdue scoreless in the home half of the frame to give IU its second conference victory of the season.

Meyer, who went 2-for-3 and also drove in three runs while scoring two, said that it felt good to get back into the win column.

“It feels so great,” she said. “We didn’t win all of the game, but we did respond with one on Sunday. It means a lot. We fought hard.”