Purdue Fort Wayne
Dayton
Late Dayton Rallies Doom 'Dons in Sweep
3/31/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 31, 2009
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
Fort Wayne, IN - The IPFW Mastodons held leads of 3-1 in the opener and 4-3 in the finale, only to see the Flyers of the University of Dayton swoop in and score nine runs in the sixth and seventh innings, combined, to take home a doubleheader sweep by scores of 7-5 and 6-4.
Three Mastodon players had multiple hits on the day, as Kaylee Faurote, Sarah Swanson, and Rachel Staschuk each picked up two hits on the afternoon, while Kris Karpun, the reigning Summit League Player of the Week, drilled her third home run of the season in her only official at-bat in the opening game.
In the opener, the Flyers (5-24) got a run in the first inning when Emily Stegeman scored on an error by IPFW shortstop Cassie Wolfe, giving the visitors a 1-0 advantage.
The lead would be short lived, however, as IPFW (10-12) scored two runs in their half of the first inning, the first coming when Faurote reached on a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and was then moved to third on a Swanson groundout. Staschuk then hit a groundball to Dayton shortstop Stegeman, as her throw sailed over the catcher's head on the play at the plate, knotting the score at one apiece. IPFW got their final run of the inning when Stacey Swinford drew a bases loaded walk, giving the hosts a 2-1 advantage.
IPFW added onto their lead in the third inning when Heather Genovese singled, scoring Wolfe, who led off the inning with a double.
Two Dayton runs in the top of the sixth inning knotted the game at three apiece, before the visitors scored four more in the top of the seventh to push ahead to a 7-3 lead.
The Mastodons answered back with a Karpun solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, cutting the deficit to three at 7-4, before Beatrice Pedraza scored when Jil Price's slap-bunt attempt was thrown away by the Dayton second baseman. The rally ended, however, when Faurote hit a sharp line drive that UD shortstop Stegeman was able to coral, giving the visitors the 7-5 victory.
Each of IPFW's seven hits came from different batters, as Wolfe scored twice for tops on the squad. Karpun, Swinford and Genovese each tallied an RBI in the losing effort. Sophomore Rachel Staschuk pitched the entire seven innings, allowing seven runs, four earned, while striking out six and walking none.
In the second game Dayton jumped out quickly with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, before the Mastodons responded an inning and a half later with two of their own when Staschuk hit a two-run double, scoring Swanson and Faurote, knotting the game at two apiece.
After Dayton re-took their lead with a run in the top of the fourth, IPFW scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning when Staschuk hit a bases-loaded infield single, scoring Genovese, as Wolfe followed by hitting into an RBI groundout scoring Faurote.
With the game being played in the middle of a downpour, the officials announced at the end of the fifth inning, a spot at which the game could have been called and still be official, that they would play one more inning, and the Flyers took advantage, as Brandy Brown hit a two-run home run to give Dayton the 5-4 lead, before Molly Meyer chased home Alicia Nichols with a triple to center field.
A 1-2-3 bottom of the IPFW sixth inning signaled the end to the double header, with Dayton prevailing in the nightcap 6-4 in six innings.
Staschuk was 2-for-3 at the plate in the finale, with Faurote, Swanson, and Ava Hall picking up the team's other three hits. Faurote scored twice, while Staschuk drove in a trio of runs. Amanda Olender went the entire way for IPFW, giving up six hits and six runs, three earned, while striking out three and walking just one.
The Mastodons return to action tomorrow, as they play host to the Eagles of Eastern Michigan University in a double header starting at 3:00 PM at the IPFW Softball Fields.
~Dons~
