May 16: Purdue vs. South Dakota

IOWA STATE REGIONAL
PURDUE 4, SOUTH DAKOTA 3 (8)

AMES, IA – Purdue reliever Maddie Damon threw 5 1/3 innings of scoreless ball, allowing the Boilermakers to rally in the later stages, with the game ending in the eighth inning on a bases-loaded one-out single from Sydney Bates.

Purdue (32-27) will face host Iowa State later on Thursday.

Rachel Becker and Mallory Baker opened the bottom of the eighth with singles, and Jenny Behan walked. After a fielder’s choice at home for the first out, Bates came through with the deciding blow.

Purdue stitched together a rally in the bottom of the seventh, tying the game at 3-all on a single from Kaitlynn Moody. Halle Hixenbaugh hit a two-out single that threatened to bring in the winning run, but Bates was thrown out at the plate.

In the third inning, South Dakota got a two-out double from Jamie Holshcer that drove in Ashtyn Blakeman for the Coyotes’ first run. That was followed by another double, from Dustie Durham, that brought in two more runs and pushed South Dakota ahead, 3-1.

Purdue got on the board thanks to an RBI single from Kaeley Hallada in the second inning, and Moody’s hit in the third cut the South Dakota lead to 3-2.

Alexis Devers threw bravely for South Dakota (33-27), going for 136 pitches and working around 14 hits and six walks.