May 6, 2009

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A Saturday date with instate foe Indiana is all that remains of the Boilermaker softball team's regular season slate. The doubleheader, which will air live on WSHY 1410 AM in Lafayette and yahoosports.com, offers Purdue a chance to post its best conference mark since 1997 while putting on a final positive showing for the NCAA Regional selection committee. The NCAA Selection Show will air live on ESPNU at 10 p.m. ET Sunday.

The Book on the Boilermakers
At First Glance: Purdue (27-18, 10-8 Big Ten) wraps up the regular season with a Saturday doubleheader against instate rival Indiana. The Boilermaker squad, which returns 14 letterwinners from the 2008 team that earned the first NCAA Tournament berth and victory in program history, looks to end the season on a high note heading into Sunday's NCAA Selection Show. Purdue is coached by Kim Maher, who is her fourth year with the team.

Last Time Out: The Boilermakers split a Wednesday doubleheader with Illinois last week, taking Game 1 4-1 and falling 10-6 in Game 2. The team was slated for three more games, one vs. IPFW and a doubleheader with IUPUI, but weather forced the cancellation of the events.

Statistically Speaking: Third baseman Liane Horiuchi paces the Boilermaker offense with a .336 average, while also racking up a team-best 36 runs, 19 extra base hits and 24 RBI. The junior also has posted a 38-for-38 effort on the basepaths. Shortstop Candace Curtis (.290), outfielder Molly Garst (.286), catcher Jenna Alexander (.272), catcher/designated player Shelby Krammer (.267) and first baseman Katie Mitchell (.252) also are batting above .250. Curtis has tallied 13 extra-base hits, including two home runs, 19 runs and 21 RBI. Mitchell has registered a team-leading 10 home runs, 24 RBI and 27 runs. Garst has swiped 20 bases, while outfielder Beth Cinadr (.239) has added three home runs and six stolen bases to the team's tally. As a team, the Boilermakers are batting .254 with 26 home runs and 88 stolen bases.

In the circle, Suzie Rzegocki (22-11) boasts a 1.42 ERA and has recorded 177 strikeouts in 216 innings, including 22 complete games and six shutouts. Dana Alcocer (4-7) has struck out 45 in 68 innings, including five complete game efforts. Ashley DiDomenico (1-0) has seen action in 10 games, striking out eight in 21 innings, while rookie Katie Hackney has seen action in one contest.

What a Difference a Win Makes ...
If the Boilermakers top Indiana in Game 1 on Saturday ...

• They will move to 28-18 on the year, just two wins away from the program's 11th straight 30-win season.

• They will move to 11-8 in Big Ten play, securing the second winning conference season under head coach Kim Maher (also 10-9 in 2007), while marking the program's first tally of more than 10 league wins since 1997 (14-12).

• They will have won five-straight contests against the Hoosiers, and eight of the last 10 meetings.

• They will move to 27-31 all-time when playing in the month of May, including a 3-4 mark in contests on May 2.

Hearing About The Hoosiers
At First Glance: The Indiana Hoosiers (10-37, 4-14 Big Ten) finish out the 2009 season with a Saturday doubleheader against the Boilermakers. The Hoosiers went 16-34 including an 6-14 mark and 10th-place Big Ten finish a year ago. Indiana is coached by Michelle Gardner, who is in her first year with the team.

Last Time Out: The Hoosiers posted a 1-3 record last week, dropping a Wednesday doubleheader to #8 Michigan (L 1-5, L 1-7) and splitting a Saturday twin bill with Penn State (W 4-3, L 1-9 (6)).

Statistically Speaking: Shortstop Emily Bergeson leads the Hoosier offense with a .297 average, six home runs, 21 RBI and 17 runs scored. Designated player Jennifer Glueckert follows with a .266 average, five doubles ana dfour triples. Pitcher Sara Olson (.225), outfielder Kelli Ritchison (.224) and outfielder Kelsey Stander (.208) also are batting above .200. Olson has accountef for five home runs and 18 RBI, while Stander has scored 14 runs and swiped 13 bases. Catcher Brittany Stein has added four home runs to the team's tally. As a team, Indiana is batting .203 with 17 home runs and 21 stolen bases.

Olsen (7-13) and senior Ashley Hobbs (3-14) have done the bulk of the pitching for the Hoosiers. Olson boasts a 3.49 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 148 innings, including 13 complete games. Hobbs has struck out 55 in 107 innings, including seven complete games while posting a 4.78 ERA. Sophomore Alyssa Maiese (0-5) and senior Monica Wright (0-5) have seen limited action. The pitching staff has allowed opponents a .305 average with 52 home runs.

Among The Nation's Best
Two Boilermakers players have earned spots among the nation's top 50 in several statistical categories. Third baseman Liane Horiuchi ranks fourth nationally in stolen bases per game (0.86) and fourth in hit by pitch per game (0.42). Pitcher Suzie Rzegocki ranks 30th in victories (22) and 33rd in ERA (1.42).

As a team, the Boilermakers rank 13th in stolen bases per game (1.96). Purdue also ranks among the national Top 50 in double plays per game (31st with 0.40) and earned run average (47th with 2.26).

Making A Case For NCAAs
After earning its first NCAA Regional berth in 2008, the Boilermaker softball team has its sights set on a return trip to the postseason. With two games remaining, Purdue boasts a 27-18 record, including a 10-8 conference mark. The team currently sits sixth in the Big Ten standings after posting a double-digit conference win tally for the fifth time in program history. Purdue is listed at No. 52 in the latest RPI rankings released May 5.

The Boilermakers have put together a nice resume in 2009, knocking off four Top 25 ranked teams and posting eight wins over the RPI Top 50. Purdue, which faced 11 NCAA Regional competitors, knocked off No. 4 UCLA to start the 2009 season, then added wins over No. 18 Texas A&M, No 10 Northwestern and No. 14 Ohio State. The Boilermakers have won seven of their last 11 games, including victories over the Wildcats and Buckeyes.

Purdue has taken on 12 teams listed in the RPI top 50 in UCLA (4), Michigan (8), Northwestern (11), Ohio State (12), Florida State (14), Georgia Tech (19), Iowa (24), Illinois (29), Auburn (30), Texas A&M (32), Jacksonville State (34) and Mississippi State (39). The Boilermakers have faced off with six teams currently ranked in the NFCA Top 25: No. 3 UCLA, No. 8 Michigan, No. 11 Ohio State, No. 13 Northwestern, No. 16 Florida State and No. 21 Georgia Tech.

A Smooth Criminal With two steals against Penn State on April 25, junior Liane Horiuchi snapped the single-season stolen base record of 36 set by third baseman Ashley Hall in 2007. Horiuchi is a perfect 38-for-38 on the basepaths, a mark which leads Purdue and the Big Ten and ranks fourth nationally.

Home Run Happy
Senior first baseman Katie Mitchell became Purdue's career home run with a first-inning long ball of Game 1 against Michigan State on April 9. The round tripper, Mitchell's 33rd, gave her sole possession of the home run mark, putting her one ahead of the mark of 32 owned by Katie Crabtree (1999-2002) and Heidi Foster (2000-2003). She added No. 34 on April 16 against Valparaiso and No. 35 against Illinois on April 29.

Mitchell tied Foster and Crabtree with a fifth-inning solo shot on March 21 vs. Wisconsin. That long ball was Mitchell's fourth of the week. She launched a school game-record tying two home runs in Game 2 of the Boilermakers' March 16 doubleheader with Florida Atlantic, after registering a two-run shot in Game 1.

Purdue has racked up 26 home runs thus far in 2009, including Mitchell's 10. Seven different Boilermaker players have contributed a long ball.

Upcoming Milestones Senior infielder/designated player Katie Mitchell looks to build on her career record tally of 35 home runs. The Crown Point, Ind., native also ranks among the career top five for slugging percentage (1st with .557), RBI (3rd with 128), walks (3rd with 81), runs (4th with 125), on-base percentage (5th with .383) and doubles (5th with 40). In 2007, the infielder set the Purdue single-season records for runs (54), RBI (54), home runs (14) and slugging percentage (.697).

Senior shortstop Candace Curtis has tallied 19 home runs in her career, ranking her fifth on the career top five list. The Danville, Calif., native broke into the career assists top five. bumping her tally to 385 on April 29. Curtis also is approaching the career walks top five, having posted 61 thus far, just 18 behind the fifth-place tally.

Senior second baseman Kelly Miller entered the career top five for sacrifice bunts with two on April 9 vs. Michigan State. The two bunts pushed Miller's career tally to 41, surpassing the fifth-place mark of 40 posted by Mandy Smart from 1996-99. She tallied her 42nd on April 22.

Two other Boilermakers are within striking distance of the career listings for sacrifice bunts. Junior outfielder Ashley Barr and Curtis are just behind Miller. Barr has recorded 35 and Curtis has added 33. Miller set the single-season record for sacrifices in 2008 with a team and Big Ten leading tally of 25, which ranked third nationally.

Taking One For The Team
The 2009 Boilermakers have been plunked a school record 43 times, surpassing the previous hit by pitch record of 37 posted by the 2005 team. Junior Liane Horiuchi has been hit 19 times, just two shy of the record mark of 21 set by Tricia Lilley in 2006.

Purdue 500
The Boilermaker softball team recorded the 500th win in program history with a 7-1 victory over Valparaiso in Game 1 of the April 16 doubleheader. Purdue is now 504-406-4 all-time, including a 124-102-1 mark under head coach Kim Maher.

Making History
The Boilermakers kicked off the 2009 campaign by doing something no other Purdue softball team had before, topping No. 4 UCLA 2-1 on Feb. 7. Prior to the contest, Purdue was 0-18 against Top 5 teams in program history. The victory surpasses wins over No. 7 Baylor in 2008 and No. 7 Texas in 1999 for the mark of highest ranked foe ever defeated by a Boilermaker side.

Isn't 100 Grand?
Fourth-year head coach Kim Maher reached the 100-win milestone for her career as the Boilermakers topped Pacific 8-1 on Feb. 8. Purdue is now 125-103-1 in her three-plus year tenure at the helm. In her time at Purdue, the Boilermakers have defeated five Top 25 foes and have beaten all 10 Big Ten opponents.

Super Suzie
Sophomore pitcher Suzie Rzegocki was named Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Week March 9 after posting a 4-0 record with a 0.64 ERA and 18 strikeouts over 22 innings of work and garnering all-tournament team honors at the Buzz Classic. The Lemont, Ill., native held opponents to a .156 average and just two earned runs, while pitching two shutouts. She struck out eight in a complete-game effort against Georgia Tech, then followed that with a five strikeout performance in a complete-game shutout of Indiana State. Rzegocki pitched two innings of relief against Jack sonville State, striking out one and holding the Gamecocks without a hit to garner her third win of the weekend. The sophomore fanned four batters in six innings against Boston College, while allowing four hits in the six-inning shutout.

Dominant Dana
After helping the Boilermakers chalk up the biggest win in Purdue softball history, a 2-1 victory over No. 4 UCLA on Feb. 7, senior pitcher Dana Alcocer was rewarded for her performance with Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Week honors.

Alcocer earned the complete game victory as the Boilermakers topped the No. 4 Bruins 2-1, the team's first Top 5 win in program history. The senior allowed just two hits in the game, while striking out four. After working out of a bases loaded jam in the first inning, the Tucson, Ariz., native settled in, taking down 18 of the next 23 batters. Alcocer had a one-hitter going with two outs in the seventh, before allowing the Bruins a second hit.

The Player of the Week accolade is the first for Alcocer, who posted a 19-14 record for the Boilermakers in 2008, while tossing 138 strikeouts and 17 complete games in 198.2 innings.

And The Honor Goes To...
Outfielders Christina Trauger and Ashley Barr received all-tournament team honors at the Auburn War Eagle Classic, Feb. 21-22. Each batted .333 to lead the Boilermaker offense as it posted a 3-1 record. Trauger added a double, three RBI, two runs and a stolen base to the team's tally, while Barr managed three hits, a run and a stolen base.

Pitcher Suzie Rzegocki earned all-tournament team honors at the Buzz Classic, March 13-15. The sophomore posted a 4-0 record at the tournament with a 0.64 ERA, 18 strikeouts and three complete games in 22 innings of work.

Fresh Faces
Pitcher Katie Hackney and infielders Molly Garst and Liane Horiuchi join the Boilermaker ranks in 2009. Horiuchi sat out the 2008 season after transferring from Tennessee, where she played on the Lady Vols' Women's College World Series team in 2007. Hackney, a freshman from Huntington, Ind., was Indiana's Gatorade Player of the Year in 2008. Garst, a rookie from Webb City, Mo., was a four-time all-state selection as a prepster.

High Praise
The Boilermaker coaching staff of head coach Kim Maher, assistant coach Linda Garza and assistant coach Boo Gillette was honored by its peers with NFCA Mideast Region Coaching Staff of the Year accolades. The honor was announced by the NFCA following the 2008 season, which was an historical one for the Purdue side.

A Look Back at 2008
The 2008 Boilermakers earned the first NCAA Tournament berth in program history, making an appearance in the Los Angeles Regional in May. Purdue not only played in the Regional, but garnered the program's first NCAA Tournament win with a 4-3 victory over Cal State Fullerton in an elimination game. The win was yet another highlight of a season which included a victory over No. 7 Baylor, marking the highest ranked opponent a Purdue team had beaten in program lore. The Boilermakers also posted their ninth straight 30-win season, reaching the milestone victory in record time, in just 44 games. The team's final tally of 35 wins was the most for a Purdue team since 1997 (41-25).

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