.png&width=32&type=webp)
Purdue Fort Wayne
CENTENARY
Mastodons Battle to Series Split with Centenary
4/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 27, 2008
Fort Wayne, IN - Good starting pitching, timely hitting, and solid defense paved the way for IPFW on Sunday in its Summit League series finale with Centenary College at Mastodons Field.
The Mastodons held on for an exciting, 3-2 win over the Gents as the two teams split their four game series and remain tied in the Summit League, and in the thick of the chase for a playoff birth, at 7-9.
Early on, however, it didn't look like IPFW starter Chad Nielsen would be around very long to be a factor.
The freshman from Chelsea, Michigan put two on with one out in the first, but came back strong to fan CC designated hitter Ryan Bernsen and left fielder Steele Lewis to end the inning.
In the second, Nielsen got into a bases loaded jam but induced an inning ending fly ball from Gent's shortstop Ricky Imperiali.
IPFW opened the scoring in the 3rd inning as left fielder Quentin Brown scored on a two-out RBI single from catcher Devin Taylor.
The Mastodons made it, 2-0 in the fourth on an RBI single from right fielder Garrett Segraves that plated first baseman Shaun VanDriessche.
The 'Dons got another run in the fifth inning as Brown reached on an error, advanced to second on a passed ball, and came home on a Jared Davis double down the left field line. The two-bagger was Davis' team leading 16th of the season.
Nielsen settled in nicely after the first two innings and cruised into the seventh, but in that frame, with his pitch count up, he began to run into trouble.
A leadoff walk and two singles loaded the bases for the Gents. After 6.2 innings, Nielsen's day was done.
IPFW turned to junior right hander Tyler Baatz. Baatz gave up a tough infield single to Imperiali and issued a bases loaded walk to first baseman Cameron Penney as the Gents pulled to within on.
Baatz pitched a scoreless 8th inning and got the first out in the ninth on a tremendous diving play by third baseman Jason Doerffler. Doerffler got to his feet and threw out the Centenary's speedy center fielder Jomar Tabor by a half a step.
After single by Imperiali, Baatz gave way to closer freshman Samuel Walker.
Walker uncorked a pitch in the dirt, Imperiali broke for second, the throw got away from the IPFW middle infielders, and Imperiali ended up on third.
With the tying run 90-feet away, Penney drilled a ball to third. Instead of going to first, Doerffler sprinted, then dove back to third base and tagged out Imperiali.
After the defensive gem, Walker finished the game off by getting Bernsen to ground out to short to end the game.
Nielsen picked up his second win of the year (2-2), going 6.2 innings. He was responsible to two earned runs. He struck out four and walked four.
Baatz held it for 1.2 innings, and gave it to Walker who earned his third save of the year, going the final two-thirds of an inning.
Centenary starter Jeremy Sheehan took the loss (4-4). He threw eight complete, giving up three runs, but just one was earned. He struck out three and didn't walk a Mastodon batter.
With the win, IPFW improves to 11-27-1. The Gents fall to 24-18.
IPFW will step out of Summit League play for the final time in 2008, traveling to Valparaiso to take on the Crusaders on Wednesday afternoon. Game time is 4:00 p.m.
~Dons~
