Feb. 14, 2003

HENDERSON - A five-run first inning was more than enough for Purdue to outlast the UNLV softball team as the Boilermakers rolled to a 10-1 victory at the UNLV Softball Classic at Stephanie Lynn Craig Park on Friday.

Purdue (2-4) began right away, putting the first two batters aboard courtesy of a hit-by-pitch and a single to short. The Boilermakers' Andrea Hillsey then drove a long shot to left field to put her team up 3-0 and quickly end the pitching night of Rebel starter Becky McDonald.

UNLV (3-8) turned to Jackie Kerrigan, but the pitching change did not slow Purdue down. Jesse Jones walked and scored on Andrea Roush's double. Roush followed suit, scoring on a Becky Stone single to cap Purdue's five-run first.

Diana LaRiva coasted after gaining the five-run edge, allowing just one more hit over the next three innings.

Purdue went back to work in the fourth and came away with its second five-run inning. Amanda Knight drilled a long shot to left, a one-out solo homer that ended Kerrigan's night. Kacey Ellis came in to relieve Kerrigan, but was immediately roughed up as Tricia Lilley hit her first pitch to the same spot for back-to-back home runs. Then, two batters later, the Boilermakers added one more bomb in the inning, a three-run blast to center by Heidi Foster to go up 10-0.

Both teams will continue play in the UNLV Softball Classic on Satuday at Stephanie Lynn Craig Park.