Purdue Fort Wayne
Centennary (LA)
IPFW and Centenary Split Marathon Double Header
5/2/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 2, 2008
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Fort Wayne, IN - The IPFW Mastodon softball team fell in a Summit League double header, taking the opening game7-4 from the Ladies of Centenary, before falling 4-2 in 13 innings in the nightcap.
The 13 innings tied an IPFW Division I school record, with the `Dons also going 13 innings on March 11, 2003 against Providence, losing 4-10. Since the school became Division I in 2001, IPFW has had five games need at least 10 innings, including earlier this season against Cleveland State; and in those five games, IPFW is just 1-4.
The `Dons, picked to finish ninth of nine teams in the preseason coaches poll, have already punched their ticket to the four-team Summit League Tournament, and will await their game and double headers from Southern Utah against North Dakota State and UMKC against Western Illinois to help solidify their seeding for the tournament.
In the rain-soaked opener, IPFW was able to dodge raindrops en route to scoring four third-inning runs, the first run coming when Abby Liden singled up the middle, scoring Jil Price. Tara Mickelson followed with her sixth home run of the season, a three-run shot, tying Liden with the most longballs hit in a single season since the `Dons became a Division I program.
The host `Dons cruised through the first four innings without giving up a run; however, the Ladies rallied with four runs of their own in the fifth inning, tying the game at four apiece. The 4-4 tie did not last long with the hosts putting two runs on the board a half-inning later, the first run coming when Kristina Karpun doubled in Liden before Amanda Olender singled, scoring Mickelson.
IPFW added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Karpun singled, chasing home Price for the game's 11th and final run. Centenary threatened in the top of the seventh inning, drawing three consecutive walks to open the frame to load the bases with no outs, before a fly-out to shallow center field, a pop-out to the second baseman and a lineout to second base ended the threat.
The `Dons totaled 12 hits in the opener, tying for the second most this season, with Liden going 3-for-3 and Mickelson 3-for-4 in the winning effort. Liden, Mickelson and Price each scored twice, with Karpun and Mickelson driving in two and three runs, respectively.
Kayla Powell picked up the victory in the circle, pitching 1.1 innings in relief, with starter Olender returning to the game in the seventh to pick up her second save of the season. Powell picked up two strikeouts while not allowing a hit and walking four with Olender giving up four runs while striking out two and walking five.
Things looked promising for the `Dons in the nightcap, scoring first when Liden singled to score Sarah Swanson, giving IPFW an early 1-0 lead. The hosts doubled their advantage with another run in the fourth inning when Powell singled, scoring Beatrice Pedraza. Centenary loaded the bases in the top of the fourth inning, but it was for naught, as a foul-out to the shortstop ended the threat in the frame.
IPFW was cruising through the Ladies' lineup, with the exception of the fourth inning, until the visitors opened the seventh inning with a single and a walk. Centenary followed with a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third, before Allison McClain singled, scoring Allison Shepperd, before pinch-hitter Beth Krysiak successfully executed a suicide squeeze, allowing Haley Bassett to score and sending the game to extra innings.
The Ladies put runners in scoring position in both the eighth and ninth innings, but could not push a run across, with the `Dons putting Powell on third base after a double and a groundout, but could not squeeze the sophomore across the plate in the ninth inning.
In the 11th inning, IPFW had the bases loaded with no outs after an infield single, a throwing error and an intentional walk, but back-to-back groundouts to the pitcher in which Lauren Highsmith went straight to home plate set up a diving over-the-shoulder catch by Centenary shortstop Emerald Doria.
The visitors finally ended the five-inning scoring draught with a pair of runs in the 13th frame, scoring when Bonnie Matak stole second base, with the throw from the `Don catcher going into centerfield, allowing Matak and Jennifer Martin, who was on third base, to score. A Powell single was the only semblance of a comeback for the `Dons, with a foul-out, a strikeout and a fly-out ending the game for the hosts.
Powell went 3-for-5 in the nightcap, with Liden going 2-for-5 and Pedraza 2-for-6. Both of the runs and RBI's were by different batters, with Staschuk going to distance, setting an IPFW Division I record for innings pitched in a game. She struck out seven while scattering eight hits and allowing three earned runs and walking five.
The two teams take back to the diamond tomorrow at noon in a senior-day game for the squad's three seniors, Ty Lambert, Katie Aspegren and Abby Liden.
