Purdue Fort Wayne
Maine
IPFW Splits Opening Weekend
3/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 6, 2009
Kissimmee, FL - In the season opening weekend of softball, the IPFW Mastodons split their two games, topping Fairfield 2-1 in eight innings, before falling to Maine 3-1.
In the opener, freshman pitcher Courtney Cronin pitching the entire eight innings in her Mastodon debut, and impressed by striking out eight batters, scattering three hits, and not walking a batter. Amanda Olender was 2-of-3 at the plate, with Jil Price and Bea Pedraza each recording a hit.
Neither team was able to reach the scoreboard for the first seven innings of the game, and the Stags reached first, starting with their player placed on second due to the international tiebreaker rule. Maleah Cousineau, placed on second, was advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, and the next batter grounded out; however, Kristie Trifolis doubled, scoring Cousineau, and giving the visitors on the scoreboard a 1-0 lead.
IPFW answered back quickly in their half of the eighth, as Cronin was placed on second, and was pinch-ran for by Kaylee Faurote. Ava Hall sacrifice bunted Faurote to third, before scoring on a throwing error when Fairfield pitcher Sarah Minice's throw home went awry on a Sarah Swanson at-bat. Swanson promptly stole second base, and was advanced to third on Price's base knock, before scoring on a wild pitch, as the Stags attempted to intentionally walk Olender; however, one of the pitch attempts was high and wide, allowing the junior to score, and giving the `Dons the come-from-behind victory.
Each of Fairfield's three hits came from different batters, with Minice going the entire seven and a third innings, striking out four and walking one, while giving up an unearned run.
In the second game, the `Dons drew first blood with a run in the top of the fifth inning when Pedraza opened the frame with a single, and was then moved over on a Hall sacrifice bunt. A groundout by Stacey Swinford moved Pedraza to third, before Frost drove her in with a single.
Maine opened the sixth inning with a home run by Ashley Waters. Errors drove in the next two runs, as the Black Bears scored two runs on one same play, which included a pair of IPFW errors, giving the hosts on the scoreboard a 3-1 lead.
The `Dons went 1-2-3 in the final inning, sending IPFW with a 3-1 loss.
Cassie Wolfe, Pedraza and Frost recorded each of IPFW's three hits, as Rachel Staschuk picked up the loss, going six and a third inning, striking out three batters and walking one. Amanda Olender came in to get the final to outs of the sixth inning on strikeouts.
Alexis Souhlaris got the win, pitching the entire seven innings, scattering three hits and allowing just the solitary run.
The `Dons take back to action tomorrow, with the first game of the day against Eastern Kentucky at 9:00 AM.
~Dons~
