Purdue Fort Wayne
UMKC
Kristina Karpun's Three Home Run Game Gives IPFW Split in Summit League Opener
3/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 12, 2010
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Kansas City, MO - Kristina Karpun set a new school record with three home runs in a game, and hit four over the two combined games, as IPFW split the Summit League-opening series with the UMKC Kangaroos, falling in the opener 9-4, and winning the nightcap in a slug-fest, 11-9.
The three home runs in the nightcap ties her with 40 other players for second most in a game in NCAA Division I softball history, with only Jill Iacono of Canisius who hit four home runs against St. Francis on April 5 2002, having more in a game. Additionally, Karpun's 14 total bases ranks third in NCAA history, behind just the 16 total bases from Iacono, and Laurie Miller's 16, who was also from Canisius, against Manhattan on April 28, 1990.
Things looked promising for the Mastodons in the opener, as Karpun hit a two-run home run in her first at-bat of the day, scoring herself and Rachel Staschuk, who walked a batter earlier, giving the Mastodons an early 2-0 lead.
The Kangaroos answered with a run in the bottom of the second inning when Betsy Hanley doubled. Pinch runner Rhianon Mendez was advanced to third on an unassisted groundout to first base, before scoring on a groundout by Megan Vicino, cutting the deficit in half at 2-1.
UMKC erupted in the third inning, as each of the first four batters reached base, and eventually scored, giving the hosts a 5-2 lead that they would not give up for the remainder of the game. Three more runs in the fourth inning on a three-run home run by Hanley pushed UMKC's lead to six at 8-2 through four innings.
After a scoreless fifth inning, IPFW added a pair to their tally when Stacey Swinford knocked a double to left center field, which chased in Courtney Cronin and Cassie Wolfe, who had singled and doubled, respectively, to lead off the inning, knocking the Kangaroo lead to just four at 8-4. The `Roos added a final run in the bottom of the sixth to give the game its 9-4 final score.
Staschuk went 2-for-3 for IPFW in the opener, as each of the team's other seven hits came from seven different batters. Courtney Cronin (3-6) picked up the loss, pitching the first two-plus innings of the game, giving up five earned runs and striking out one. Sara Hopwood pitched three and two-thirds inning of relief, giving up four earned runs and striking out two, as Amanda Olender picked up the team's final out.
In the day's finale, IPFW jumped out quickly as Staschuk led off with a walk, before being moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hopwood. Karpun, just like in the first game, hit a two-run first-inning home run, this one over the left center field fence, giving IPFW a 2-0 lead. Unlike the first game, IPFW tacked on to their early lead, as Cronin followed with a solo home run to center field in the next at-bat, pushing the `Dons to a 3-0 lead.
UMKC's bats were also quite awake in the second game, as the hosts put up five runs in the bottom of the first inning, capped by a three-run home run from Amanda Kinn. The Mastodons countered with four more runs in the top of the second inning, all with two outs. Swanson opened things with a two-out single, before Staschuk walked for the second time in as many innings. Hopwood followed with a two-run triple, scoring the aforementioned pair, before being driven in herself with Karpun's second home run over the two innings, pushing IPFW ahead 7-5 through one and a half innings.
The teams each had a scoreless inning, before the `Roos knotted the game at seven with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning. The score-fest continued through the top of the fourth inning where Karpun hit her third bomb of the game, a three-run shot over the left field wall, pushing IPFW ahead 10-7. After a groundout, Cassie Wolfe and Kaylee Faurote hit back-to-back doubles to push the advantage to 11-7.
After setting down the `Roos 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fourth inning, IPFW nearly added to their totals when Staschuk drew her third walk of the game, before Hopwood reached on an error by the right fielder, putting runners on second and third. With first base empty, the `Roos intentionally walked Karpun, loading the bases; however, a ground out to the shortstop ended the threat.
In the bottom of the sixth, UMKC got a leadoff home run from Taylor Hill, cutting the deficit to three, before Emily Ott did the same in the bottom of the seventh, taking the Mastodon lead to just two at 11-9. The hosts would only get one more hit the rest of the way, as the Mastodons evened the series at one game apiece with the two-run win.
Karpun, with her three home runs and subsequent two intentional walks gave her 14 total bases, as she also scored three times. Cronin added two hits in five at-bats, with five others adding one hit. Staschuk and Hopwood each scored twice, as Karpun drove in seven runs and Hopwood a pair.
Staschuk got the win for IPFW, pitching six and two-thirds of an inning in relief, giving up four earned runs while striking out eight. Cronin got the start and was knocked out after just a third of an inning of work, allowing four runs and three hits.
Betsy Hanley had four hits on the day for the `Roos, as Kaelene Curry and Kelly Fisher each had three. Anna Sokolik got the team's win in the opener, as Deanna Fries picked up the loss in five innings of work in the nightcap.
The teams return to action tomorrow in the rubber-match of the series, starting at 1:00 PM EST.
~Dons~
