The Purdue University Calumet softball team picked up a thrilling 8-7 victory before falling 13-5 in nonleague split with visiting University of Michigan-Dearborn Friday afternoon at Dowling Park.
The Peregrines improved to 9-7 overall while the Wolverines’ season record moved to 9-13 after the two-game split.
Purdue Calumet returns to action Thursday, March 26, when the Peregrines host Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference foe
GAME 1: Purdue Calumet 8, UM-Dearborn 7
Junior Shelbie Jones (Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka) picked up her second win of the season in day’s opener, though the Wolverines made things interesting with a late run in the sixth.
Jones held UM-Dearborn to just one run through the game’s first three innings, as the she finished with eight strikeouts while scattering 10 hits in the seven-inning outing. The Wolverines struck first with a run in the second, but the Peregrines would answer in the third when senior Alicia Ward (Mishawaka, Ind./Jimtown), who tripled, scored on an Alex Morales (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) sacrifice fly.
After the Wolverines answered with a two-run fourth, Purdue Calumet would add two more in the bottom of the inning on a Lea Hall (Catlin, Ill./Catlin) RBI single and Jess Loy (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) double to tie the game at 3-all.
Senior Olivia Donley (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley) gave the Peregrines a couple of insurance runs with her two-run shot over left field in the fifth to give the home team a 5-3 advantage. But the Wolverines wouldn’t go away, scoring four in the sixth – the biggest hit a two-run homer by Jordan Ewald – to regain the lead at 7-5.
The Peregrines took advantage of a few Wolverine miscues to score two runs in the sixth to set up a 7-all tie heading into the seventh. Jones retired three of four batters in the top of the inning before the Peregrines put the pressure on in the bottom half, led off by a Kaitlyn Skarecky (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) walk and a Donley double to put runners on second and third with nobody out. After the Wolverines intentionally walked the bases loaded, sophomore Allyson Leach (Demotte, Ind./North Newton) drew the walk-off, RBI walk to lift the Peregrines to the victory.
Donley and Loy both finished with two hits and Donley had two RBI to lead Purdue Calumet in Game 1.
GAME 2: UM-Dearborn 13, Purdue Calumet 5 (6 innings)
A big fifth inning proved to be the momentum swing in a high-scoring second game for the Wolverines. Michigan-Dearborn totaled 10 runs in the fifth frame – helped by home runs by Makenzie Throwbridge and Jessie Thueme – to take a commanding 11-4 lead.
Purdue Calumet would show some fight in the bottom of the inning with a Morales RBI single up the middle to score Bailey Kozbiel (Crest Hill, Ill./Lockport Township), who reached on an error. But the Wolverines would add two more in the sixth and hold the Peregrines scoreless in the bottom half of the frame to take home the six-inning victory.
Ward led the Peregrines with a perfect 4-for-4 performance at the plate with an RBI and Alison Kimble (Greenup, Ill./Cumberland) finished with two hits.
