Flexter, Kimble Guide Purdue Calumet To Three Wins

DAVENPORT, Iowa -- The Purdue University Calumet softball team cruised past Culver Stockton, 13-1, in its opening game of the St. Ambrose Tournament, before falling to the host Fighting Bees, 5-3, in the nightcap.

SATURDAY'S GAMES

GAME ONE – Purdue Calumet 13, Culver Stockton 1 (5 Innings)

The Peregrines’ offense was in full force during their season-opener against Culver Stockton, plating at least one run in each inning to go along with 14 hits. Alicia Ward got the Black and Gold’s season off to a fast start, opening the game and the 2014 campaign with a lead-off home run.

Purdue Calumet drove in two more runs in the first and another in the second, before exploding for eight scores in the decisive third inning. The Peregrines pounded out six hits in the frame, while sending 12 batters to the plate.

Meanwhile, Shelbie Jones and the Purdue Calumet defense shut down the Wildcats. Jones limited CSC to just one run on four hits with a pair of strikeouts to record the victory. Ashley Adams finished a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBI at the plate, while Ward drove in four runs as well with a team-best three runs scored. Altamont graduate Hailey Flexter hit two singles, scored a run and drove in two RBI.

GAME TWO – St. Ambrose 5, Purdue Calumet 3

Purdue Calumet jumped out to an early lead in the nightcap, as Ward drove in Hailey Flexter with a third-inning single to center field before scoring on a throwing error. The Black and Gold added another run in the top of the fourth to grab a 3-0 advantage after Flexter’s RBI fielder’s choice.

However, SAU’s bats heated up in the bottom half of the inning with five runs, three of which came on a RBI triple to the gap in right center. The Peregrines would come up empty in the final three innings en route to the loss.

Purdue Calumet tallied seven hits in the contest, but only of one those base knocks would come after the fourth inning. Flexter had a double, scored a run and drove in a run. Cumberland graduate Alison Kimble took the loss for the Black and Gold, giving up all five runs in just over three innings of work.

SUNDAY'S GAMES

GAME ONE – Purdue Calumet 15, Benedictine Springfield 3 (5 Innings)

The Black and Gold scored the first nine runs of the game against the Bulldogs, including a six-run opening frame. Ashley Adams drove in the contest’s first two runs with a triple, before crossing the plate herself on a passed ball. Flexter and Kimble each drove in runs as well to push the Peregrines’ lead to 6-0 heading into the top of the second.

Ana Duda drilled a one-out home run in the second inning to keep the momentum going. Abbi Fahse doubled to drive in Ashley Adams, while Flexter crossed the plate on another passed ball to close out a three-run second.

Benedictine Springfield plated three runs in the third inning, but Duda and Adams each drove in a run during the bottom half of the frame to put the Black and Gold on top, 11-3. Purdue Calumet would go on to add four more runs in the fourth to push its lead to 15-3, before Kimble pitched a 1-2-3 fifth to wrap up the win via run rule.

The Peregrines pounded out 13 hits in the game, including seven of the extra-base variety.Adams led the way with two hits and four RBI, while Duda added two hits and three RBI. Flexter finished with a single, RBI and scored two runs. Kimble notched her first win of the year, holding the Bulldogs to three runs on five hits with six strikeouts.

GAME TWO – Purdue Calumet 11, Ashford 2 (5 Innings)

The Saints fired the opening salvo with a pair of runs in the second inning, but Kimble came in to relieve and would shut down the Ashford offense. Purdue Calumet’s bats would take over from there, scoring three runs in the top of the third before exploding for seven-run fourth to blow the game open.

After a RBI single by Alicia Ward and Allyson Leach’s score off a wild pitch, Duda would blast a ground-rule double to left center to drive in Ward and Skyler Woods. Brittney Adams would follow that with a three-run double to right field to put the Peregrines on top, 10-2.

Ward drove in another run in the top of the sixth, plating Leach with a two-base hit to left field that would round out the scoring for the afternoon. Purdue Calumet notched eight hits in the game, while tying a season high with seven walks. Kimble picked up her second victory of the day on the mound, holding the Saints to just two hits over a scoreless final 3.1 innings.

The Peregrines will be back in action Saturday, March 8, when they open up the Lindenwood Belleville Tournament against the host Lynx at 10:30 a.m.