Westfield, Ind. – A good day at the plate by junior Kalyn Learnard (Fairmount, Ill./Catlin) and a nice performance in the circle by junior Mia Stevens (Wheatfield, Ind./Kankakee Valley) fueled the Purdue Northwest softball team to a pair of wins Saturday at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. The Pride made program history with their first victory since moving to NCAA Division II competition this season with their 7-2 win over Bellarmine University (Ky.) in the first game and followed that feat with a 4-3 win over University of Indianapolis in the late game.
Learnard combined to go 2-for-5 at the plate over both games with a stolen base, two runs scored and a pair of RBI. Stevens earned the victory (1-0) in Saturday's opener throwing the final four frames and allowing four hits, no runs and a walk with a strikeout.
PNW led from start to finish in the 7-2 win over Bellarmine scoring a pair of runs in the top of the second inning off a fielding error and a sacrifice bunt by junior Shailen Johnson (West Lafayette, Ind./Harrison) to score junior Taylor Kotzo (Munster, Ind./Munster). A two-run double by senior Samme Miller (North Salem, Ind./Tri-West) in the top of the third pushed the Pride's lead to 4-0, but the Knights got two runs back in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run single.
Purdue Northwest put the game away in the top of the fourth with three runs in the top of the fourth off a two-run triple by junior Olivia Sardella (Dyer, Ind./Lake Central) and another RBI on a fielder's choice by Learnard. Freshman Samantha Burgard (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South) threw the first three innings in the circle in Saturday's first game and allowed just three hits, two runs (both earned) and two walks with a strikeout.
The Pride got off to another hot start in the day's second game against University of Indianapolis scoring three runs in the bottom of the second inning off an error, a fielder's choice and an infield groundout. Neither team scored again until the top of the seventh when the Greyhounds tied the game with a two-run triple and a sacrifice fly. However, a single by Learnard, an infield error and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for PNW in the bottom of the seventh and another fielding error brought Learnard across home plate for the game-winning run. Senior Holly Pagan (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) got the start in the circle for the Pride throwing 6.1 innings and giving up five hits, three runs (all earned) and three walks with a strikeout. Freshman Courtney Blackwell (Whiting, Ind./Whiting) claimed the win (1-1) in relief allowing no hits, runs or walks over the final two batters.
Purdue Northwest (2-1 overall) plays two more games on Sunday, February 25, taking on Bellarmine (Ky.) again at noon CT at Grand Park in Westfield. The Pride finish up the weekend with a 4:30 p.m. CT game against No. 9 nationally ranked University of Southern Indiana.
Due to stat changes that were reported after the release of the recap, the above recap has been altered from its original form. The recap should now reflect the correct information. We apologize for the original errors.
