The Purdue Northwest Softball team concluded play at the USSSA Space Coast Spring Games on Tuesday in Melbourne, Florida, splitting its final two contests. The Pride powered past Post, 10-4, in the opener before falling in an extra-inning battle to Minnesota State Mankato, 2-1, in eight innings.
The Pride finished the Florida trip with a impressive 7-3 record with fantastic all-around in the sunshine state.
The Basics
- Records: Purdue Northwest (14-8), Post (0-8), Minnesota State Mankato (13-11)
- Location: Melbourne, Florida
- Attendance: 50
Game 1
The Breakdown
- Purdue Northwest erupted for 10 runs on 13 hits to secure a dominant win over Post.
- Freshman Charli Westerfield (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community) led the offense with two hits, three RBIs and a walk, while senior Amanda DeBoer (Dyer, Ind./Illiana Christian) added two hits and two RBIs.
- Senior Gracie Jensen (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic) contributed a two-RBI double, while freshman Sylvia Mudis (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) and junior Emma Fair (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove) each added RBI doubles as part of a big first inning.
- Sophomore Kylie Madura (Munster, Ind./Munster) tallied two hits, two runs scored and an RBI, and junior Kylie Dugan (Buck Creek, Ind./William Henry Harrison) reached base twice, scored two runs and stole two bases.
- The Pride showcased aggressive baserunning, totaling five stolen bases in the contest.
- Junior Hannah Rafferty-Flatter (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard South) earned the win in the circle, tossing a complete game while allowing four runs, just two earned, on seven hits with four strikeouts.
- Purdue Northwest struck quickly with a five-run first inning.
- Westerfield opened the scoring with an RBI single before Jensen delivered a two-run double to extend the lead.
- Mudis and Fair followed with back-to-back RBI doubles to cap the early surge and make it 5-0.
- Post answered with four runs in the third inning to cut the deficit to 5-4, capitalizing on a pair of unearned runs and a two-run double.
- The Pride responded immediately in the bottom half with four runs of their own.
- Kylie Madura (Munster, Ind./Munster) delivered an RBI single before Westerfield drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in another run.
- DeBoer followed with a two-RBI single to push the lead to 9-4.
- Purdue Northwest added an insurance run in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by Westerfield to close out the scoring at 10-4.
Game 2
The Breakdown
- Purdue Northwest battled in a tightly contested extra-inning match-up before falling 2-1 in eight innings to Minnesota State Mankato.
- Madura provided the lone run for the Pride with a solo home run in the second inning.
- Dugan led the offense with two hits, while Westerfield and senior Olivia Hernandez (Aurora, Ill./Aurora Central Catholic) each added a hit.
- The Pride finished with five hits and drew one walk in the contest.
- Sophomore Abbey Bond (Saint John, Ind./Andrean) started in the circle and was effective, allowing just one unearned run on four hits across four innings.
- Senior Hailie Charmat (South Bend, Ind./John Adams) took the loss in relief despite allowing only one unearned run while striking out four over three innings.
- Purdue Northwest took an early lead in the second inning when Madura launched a solo home run to make it 1-0.
- Minnesota State Mankato answered in the third inning, tying the game on an RBI groundout following a defensive miscue.
- Both teams were held scoreless from the fourth through the seventh inning as the game remained deadlocked at 1-1.
- The Pride threatened but could not break through against a strong complete-game performance in the circle by Minnesota State Mankato.
- In the eighth inning, Minnesota State Mankato delivered the walk-off on an RBI double to secure the 2-1 victory.
Up Next
- Purdue Northwest now begins GLIAC play this weekend when they travel to take on Roosevelt on Saturday, March 21. The doubleheader is set to begin at 1:00 PM CT in Rosemont, Illinois.