Purdue Fort Wayne
Detroit
Mastodons Split with Titans
3/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 24, 2009
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Detroit, MI - On a cold day in Western Detroit, the IPFW Mastodons and the Detroit Titans split a double header, with the hosts winning the opening game 4-2, before IPFW won 8-4 in the finale.
In the opener, the Titans reached the board first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning, before the `Dons answered back with a pair in the top of the third inning when Cassie Wolfe knocked in pinch runner Sarah Swanson, before Rachel Staschuk scored as Detroit center fielder Erica Houthood's throw to home plate went awry.
A two-run home run by the Titans' Kristin Schlater in the bottom of the third inning, reacquired the two-run lead for the hosts, as both of the teams bats were matched by the weather for the remainder of the game - cold. Neither team would be able to squeak a run across the plate over the remaining three and a half innings, giving the game its 4-2 final score.
Each of IPFW's five hits came from different batters, as Kaylee Faurote, Amanda Olender, Wolfe, Kristina Karpun, and Beatrice Pedraza each had a hit in the contest. Wolfe had the team's only RBI, as Swanson and Staschuk each scored. Olender picked up the loss in the circle, dropping her record to 1-4 on the year, pitching the entire six innings, scattering seven hits, allowing four runs, all earned, while striking out seven and walking two.
In the second game, IPFW jumped out early, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning, the first run coming when Wolfe hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded, scoring Faurote, who opened the game with a leadoff double. A fielding error by Titan shortstop Rachel Copple allowed Swanson to score, before Pedraza drove in Staschuk to give IPFW a 3-0 advantage.
A Wolfe groundout in the second inning scored Faurote, before Olender singled in Staschuk. Darby Pearson drew a bases loaded walk to score Karpun, as Jil Price then hit a bases loaded single, scoring Olender and Pedraza to push the Mastodon lead to 8-0.
Detroit reached the scoreboard for the first time in the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, with Ellen Sinclair ending a Staschuk no-hit bid with an RBI single, cutting the deficit to one at 8-1. The Titans continued to add to their run total, by scoring three runs on a Schlater three-run home run, her second longball of the day for the hosts, closing to within four at 8-4, but that would be as close as they would come, as IPFW held Detroit scoreless the rest of the way in the four-run IPFW win.
Faurote went 3-for-5 at the plate while Karpun was 2-for-4. Six other players, Swanson, Staschuk, Wolfe, Olender, Pedraza and Price recorded a hit in the winning effort. Faurote and Staschuk each scored twice, with Wolfe and Price each driving in a pair.
Pitcher Rachel Staschuk improved to 2-4 on the season in picking up the victory. Staschuk scattered x hits, while allowing four runs, two of which were earned, while striking out four and walking one.
The `Dons end their long road swing by hosting their home opener against IUPUI on Friday, March 27 at 3:00 PM.
~Dons~
