USF 4, Purdue 3 (9 innings)
USF clawed back from a deficit twice against Purdue in a 4-3 ninth-inning win at USF Softball Stadium on Thursday night. The Boilermakers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, and a 3-2 lead in the ninth before USF scored two runs for the win.
Purdue took an early lead over the Bulls when a batter walked and one was hit by a pitch, both runners advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a single to left field for a 2-0 lead.
USF responded in the bottom of the third inning when AnaMarie Bruni extended her hitting streak to 11 games with a bunt single. She stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a single to centerfield by Bethaney Keen to cut into the Boilermaker's lead, 2-1. In the bottom of the seventh inning the Bulls tied it up, 2-2. Lindsey Devitt singled through the left side, and Bruni hit an RBI double that bounced over the fence in right center.
Purdue took the lead again in the top of the ninth with a solo homer over the left field fence, but USF got another chance in the bottom of the inning. Meghan Sheehan drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the frame, and Devitt singled through the left side with no outs. Sheehan scored on an RBI double by Bruni, and Devitt made it to third. Megan Pierro hit an RBI single for the game-winner in her second extra-inning, walk-off hit this week.
Also for the second time this week, Nicole Doyle pitched in extra innings. Doyle stayed in the circle until the top of the ninth where Cheyenne Eggens took over for the final inning. Doyle limited the Boilermakers to just four hits in eight innings and only walked two batters. Eggens entered for the final inning and recorded her third win of the season (3-1).