Johnson Takes Down Indiana in Split

Johnson Takes Down Indiana in Split

Katie Johnson’s complete game and game-winning hit take game two from Indiana

Katie Johnson turned in the performance of the day for Purdue (16-27, 5-6 B1G) with her complete game and clutch hit in the seventh inning to split the doubleheader with Indiana (18-22, 4-7 B1G) in Andy Mohr Field. The Boilermakers bounced back to defeat the Hoosiers 2-1 after dropping the first game 4-0.

Johnson was given the nod in game two and was tested immediately as the Hoosiers loaded the bases with two down in the first inning. However, the senior out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota responded how she would throughout the contest and made the pitches she needed to get out of the inning unharmed, retiring Indiana’s five-hitter on strikes to escape the inning. Of Johnson’s four strikeouts, three were for the third out of the inning.

Indiana wouldn’t threaten Johnson again until the sixth inning as she registered one-two-three innings in the second, fourth and fifth innings and allowed just one base runner in the third. With the game scoreless, the Hoosiers scored their first run of the ballgame after the leadoff hitter singled and stole second, leading to an RBI single in the ensuing at-bat.

The opposition proceeded to load the bases with no outs in the inning, however a clutch play by Lexi Huffman was a game-changing moment in the contest as she snared a liner at the hot corner and tagged the runner scrambling back to third for a double play. Johnson would then corral a comebacker and make the throw to first for the third out and escape the jam trailing 1-0.

In the top of the seventh, Alexa Binckes singled up the middle to give Purdue the tying run on first with no outs. Kaylah Hampton later reached first on a dropped third strike thanks to a throwing error by the catcher and Stephanie Ramsey followed with a single to load the bases with one out for Johnson.

After an eight-pitch battle at the plate, Johnson sent the ninth pitch to left to score Madison Douglass and Hampton and give Purdue a 2-1 lead. After giving up the lead, Indiana managed to retire the next two batters and escape the inning but would have nothing to show for in the bottom of the inning as Johnson finished off the Hoosiers to earn the victory.

The Hoosiers blanked the Boilermakers in game one of the doubleheader as Purdue left eight runners on base in the contest. Indiana’s Tara Trainer held the Boilermakers to four hits while allowing four walks without giving up a run in seven innings of work. Hughes, Hoppman, Huffman and Binckes all registered a hit in the game, marking the end of Baker’s hitting streak and clipping it at 15 games. Binckes reached base in all three of her at-bats, working two walks after ripping a line drive off the left field wall for a single.

Binckes would finish the day two-for-three with a pair of walks and her leadoff hit in game two led to the game-tying run as Douglass scored as her pinch runner. Kristen Hoppman finished with three hits on the day and extended her hitting streak to seven games.

After five games on the road, the Boilermakers come home to Bittinger Stadium for a three-game series with Wisconsin. Purdue will take on the Badgers in the series opener on Friday, April 14 at 6 p.m., and will conclude the home series with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m., on Saturday, April 15.