Purdue Fort Wayne
McNeese State
Mastodons Drop Pair in Blues City Classic
2/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 20, 2010
McNeese State Box Score | Appalachian State Box Score
Memphis, TN – The IPFW Mastodon softball team dropped its final two games of the Memphis University Blues City Classic, falling 7-0 to McNeese State and 6-2 to Appalachian State. Kris Karpun led the team by going 3-for-6 over the pair of games.
In the opener against McNeese State, each team threatened in the second inning, the Cowgirls’ coming when a double put runners on second and third after a double, but a strikeout and a groundout ended the threat; the Mastodons’ coming with a leadoff single by Karpun, and another single by Amber Pierce, putting runners on first and second, before a strikeout ended the threat.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth inning when the Cowgirls put up six runs on three hits, and were aided by a trio of Mastodon errors. Holly Lawrence led off the inning with a triple to right field, before Claire Terracina reached on a fielder’s choice that advanced her to second base. Kourtney Kober hit a sacrifice fly, driving home Lawrence, before Liz Morvant reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Terracina. A walk loaded the bases before Tiffany Denham singled home two runs, before another pair scored on an error, and another on a passed ball, giving the Cowgirls their six runs in the frame.
McNeese tacked on another run in the sixth inning when Molly Guidry hit a solo home run to left field, giving the game its 7-0 final score.
IPFW totaled three hits, one each from Karpun, Courtney Cronin, and Pierce. Amanda Olender picked up the loss, pitching seven innings and allowing five earned runs while striking out four. Courtney Cronin came in and faced three batters in the fifth inning, allowing two earned runs, her first earned runs of the young season.
Appalachian State jumped out quickly on starting pitcher Cronin in the afternoon finale for the Mastodons, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning, three runs coming when Allie Cashion hit a bases-loaded double, and the fourth when Michelle Gorzelle chased home Cashion with a groundout to first base.
The Mountaineers added another run in the fourth inning when Meghan Smith drove in McKenzie Phillips with a single up the middle, and added their sixth and final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning as Katie Boyd chased home Sarah Rappe with a sacrifice fly.
IPFW scored twice in the sixth inning, the first when Karpun doubled for the second time in the game, driving home Sara Hopwood, who opened the frame with a single to center field. Karpun, after advancing to third on a groundout to second base, scored on a wild pitch, giving the game its 6-2 final score.
Karpun was 2-for-3 in the nightcap with a run scored and driven in, as Sarah Swanson continued her torrid start to the 2010 season by going 1-for-3. Ava Hall and Hopwood picked up the team’s other two hits in the game. Cronin picked up the loss, dropping the sophomore to 1-2 on the season by giving up six earned runs over six innings of work, striking out four and walking two.
The Mastodons regroup and travel to Fairfax, Virginia, where they will compete in the three-day George Mason Patriot Classic, with their first game coming on February 26 against the host Patriots at 3:30 PM.
~Dons~
