May 13, 2009

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Four Boilermaker softball players received All-Big Ten accolades when postseason honors were announced by the conference Wednesday.

Junior third baseman Liane Horiuchi and freshman utility player Molly Garst garnered second team honors, while junior catcher Jenna Alexander and sophomore pitcher Suzie Rzegocki earned third team acclaim.

Garst is just the sixth freshman in Purdue history to garner All-Big Ten accolades. Rzegocki and Alexander become just the fifth and sixth Boilermaker players to earn All-Big Ten honors twice in their careers after receiving third-team accolades in 2008. Conference honors are based on league statistics only.

Horiuchi, who split time at shortstop and third base during conference play, boasted a .296 average with 17 runs, eight extra base hits and 10 stolen bases as Purdue tallied a 12-8 Big Ten mark, its best in more than a decade. The junior led the league in triples (2) and assists (48), ranked second in stolen bases (10) and hit by pitch (7), fourth in runs (17) and ninth in sacrifice bunts (4).

Overall, Horiuchi started all 47 of the team's games, 35 at third base, 11 at shortstop and one at second base. She paced the team with a .348 average and a perfect 38-for-38 single-season record setting effort on the basepaths. The Wahaiwa, Hawaii native ranks fourth nationally in hit by pitch per game (0.40) and fifth in stolen bases per game (0.81). She has reached base via hit, walk or hit by pitch in all but five of Purdue's games, while racking up a team-leading 39 runs, including seven game winners, and 21 extra base hits, with 12 doubles, four triples and five home runs. Horiuchi drove in 24 RBI, including five game winners, and posted three perfect days at the plate, including a 4-for-4 effort against Bowling Green. Statistically, the infielder leads the Big Ten in stolen bases, hit by pitch and triples and defensive assists (110) and ranked third in on-base percentage (.494), fourth in runs, sixth in slugging percentage (.614) and doubles and eighth in batting average. Horiuchi also was honored for her work in the classroom with Academic All-Distirct V first team honors.

Garst, who split saw time in the outfield and at third base during the Big Ten season, posted a team-best .315 average with 13 runs and a team-and-league leading 11 stolen bases. The rookie also ranked ninth in the conference in sacrifice bunts (4). The Webb City, Mo., native reach base in 15 conference contests, including hits in each of the last eight games.

In 2009, Garst has seen action in all 47 of the team's games, starting 41, 34 in the outfield (20 in left field, one in center field, 13 in right field), four at third base and three at designated player. She has posted a .300 average, while racking up 22 runs and 15 RBI and swiping 23 bases, second most in the Big Ten. Garst nabbed three stolen bases against Appalachian State on Feb. 15, tying the Purdue single-game record. She has put together two eight-game hit streaks from March 6 to 16 and from April 22 to present, tied for longest on the team. Molly has tallied multiple hits in seven games and multiple RBI in six games. The freshman drove in the game winning RBI against Ball State and scored three game-winning runs.

Alexander, who was behind the plate in 18 of the team's conference games and was the designated player in two others, ranked second on the team with a .313 average, including four doubles, a home run and a team-best 14 RBI. She ranked second in the league in sacrifice flies (2) and seventh in hit by pitch (4).

For the season, Alexander appeared in 46 games, starting 28 at catcher, 10 at designated player and four at first base. She batted .266 with eight doubles and two home runs. The Rancho Murieta, Calif., native drove in 22 RBI including four game winners, while scoring 11 runs, including the game winner against Winthrop. The sophomore put together an eight-game hit streak from March 26 to April 9. She tallied multiple hits in six games and multiple RBI in seven contests, while drawing 10 walks and being hit by a pitch six times. Alexander drove in three runs each against Wisconsin and in both games of the doubleheader with Michigan State. She laid down six sacrifices and lifted two sacrifice flies, eighth most among Big Ten players. Defensively, the 2008 third-team All-Big Ten catcher made good on 99 percent of her opportunities, committing just one error in 184 chances.

Rzegocki saw time in the circle in 17 of Purdue's 20 conference games, posting a 9-6 record with a 1.62 ERA. The sophomore struck out 77 batters in 99.2 innings of work, including 11 complete games and three shutouts. In league play, she ranked fourth in innings pitched and ERA, fifth in looking strikeouts (30) and wins, sixth in opponent batting average (.208) and eighth in strikeouts.

All told, the Lemont, Ill., native has seen action in 45 of the team's 47 games, 34 as the starting pitcher and 11 as the designated player. She has posted a 23-11 record with a 1.40 ERA, which ranks 27th nationally, allowing just 45 earned runs in 224.2 innings of work. The sophomore has issued 184 strikeouts, including five or more 23 times, and recorded a season-best 11 Ks twice, against No. 18 Texas A&M and in Game 1 against Minnesota. Rzegocki has tossed 23 complete games, including six shutouts, while limiting opponents to a .188 average. She did not allow an earned run for a stretch of 33 innings from March 6 to March 15 and a stretch of 29.2 innings from March 16 to March 28. The 2008 third-team All-Big Ten pitcher ranks fourth in the Big Ten in ERA, and fifth in wins, innings pitched, looking strikeouts (59) and opponent batting average, and , and eighth in strikeouts. This season, she earned spots on the single-season top five list for wins (3rd), complete games (3rd), strikeouts (3rd), starts (5th), shutouts (5th), and innings pitched (5th). Offensively, Rzegocki added five hits, including two doubles, while accounting for the game winning RBI against No. 4 UCLA and the game-winning run against Jacksonville State.

Senior catcher Alicia Spack also was honored by the Big Ten as Purdue's Sportsmanship Award honoree. Spack appeared in 27 games, starting eight at catcher, three at first base and seven at designated player. The West Lafayette, Ind., native posted a .220 average with three doubles and three home runs and a .460 slugging percentage. The senior went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a home run in Game 2 against Illinois (4/29). She drove in nine RBI, including three on a home run in Game 1 against Bowling Green (3/26) and scored nine runs. Spack also launched a two-run shot against Liberty (3/15). She earned five walks, was hit by a pitch and laid down three sacrifices. Defensively, Spack made good on all 79 of her defensive opportunities for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.

The Boilermakers (29-18) kick off their second-consecutive NCAA Regionals appearance with a 6 p.m. Friday contest against the No. 19 Louisville Cardinals. No. 6 Arizona and UT Martin round out the four-team pool. All of Purdue's games in the double-elimination slate will be broadcast live on WSHY 1410 AM and yahoosports.com. Live statistics for all Boilermaker contests will be available on purduesports.com.

A tournament central page for the Louisville, Ky., Regional can be found here.

Purdue Boilermakers

» Quick Facts | Schedule & Results
» Statistics | Statistics
» Game Notes 
» Media Guide| Virtual Guide