Purdue Fort Wayne
Centenary (LA)
Cronin's One-Hitter Takes `Dons to 6-1 in Summit League
3/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 26, 2010
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Fort Wayne, IN – A bloop single down the left field line in the fifth inning by Centenary’s Sara Dornelas would be the only hit that IPFW sophomore pitcher Courtney Cronin would give up in the game, as she held the Ladies of Centenary to just the solitary hit, and just three total baserunners, in picking up her school-record sixth shutout of the season, as the ‘Dons topped Centenary 2-0 in conference action on Friday afternoon.
Cronin’s shutout, the sixth of the season and 11th of her career, put her first in the school record books in both categories. The one-hit shutout was the lowest amount of hits allowed by Cronin in a complete game in her young history. She struck out three, and walked one in the near no-hitter.
“Courtney pitched well today,” said IPFW coach Amy Tudor. “She got ahead in counts, which is what we aim for. We talk a lot about first-pitch strikes, and she definitely was on her ‘A’ game today. Kris did a nice job with her at-bat in the fifth inning, taking the ball to opposite field – a great clutch hit. One hit changed the ball game, and we are fortunate it was someone on our side.”
Kristina Karpun, who went 1-for-1, drove in the game’s only runs with an opposite-field homer to right field in the fifth inning, driving in herself and Cassie Wolfe. Rachel Staschuk, Cronin, and Kaylee Faurote had each of the team’s four hits in the game.
The win improves IPFW to 14-10 on the season, and more importantly 6-1 in the Summit League.
Centenary (8-16, 2-5 Summit League) went down in order for the first seven batters, before Kelsey Regan reached on an error. A Haley Basset walk, Cronin’s only free pass of the game, put runners on first and second, before Bonnie Matak ended the threat with a groundout to Heather Genovese at second base.
Dornelas’ one-out single in the fifth inning would be the only other baserunner that Cronin would allow in the game, as she set the side down in order in five of the game’s seven innings.
IPFW put a runner on base in every inning, including having the bases loaded with two outs in the third inning, and runners on second and third with one out in the fourth; however, the Mastodons could not push a run around in their early opportunities, keeping the game scoreless through four and a half innings.
Staschuk opened the fifth inning with a single down the left field line, before being lifted for pinch-runner Kaitlyn Frost. Wolfe followed by grounding into a fielder’s choice, before being chased home on Karpun's two-run blast.
Faurote getting hit by a pitch in the sixth inning provided the game’s last baseruner, as IPFW held on for the slim 2-0 win.
Dornelas picked up the loss in the circle, scattering four hits over six innings, striking out three, walking four, and hitting two in the game.
The teams meet again for a double header tomorrow at the IPFW Softball Field, with the first pitch of the opener slated for 11:30 AM.
~Dons~
