Purdue Fort Wayne
North Dakota State
Mastodons Sweep Opener with NDSU
4/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 2, 2010
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
Fargo, ND – The IPFW Mastodons took the first two games of a three-game series with the Bison of North Dakota State in a conference weekend, improving to 18-10 on the season, and 10-1 in conference play.
Courtney Cronin led the way for the ‘Dons both in the pitcher’s circle and in the batter’s box, pitching a complete-game in the opener, striking out a career-high 12, while also going 4-for-7 at the plate with two home runs and five runs driven in, while also scoring three times.
“The wins were very important,” said IPFW head coach Amy Tudor. “Two wins in the conference are what we fight for all year, and when we get them against North Dakota State, it is huge for our program. We hit the ball well, and we pitched well. I told the team before the game that if we hit the ball, we will win – and luckily that worked out for us.”
IPFW jumped out right out of the gate, putting their first five batters on base. Rachel Staschuk opened by getting hit by a pitch, and was followed by back-to-back singles from Sara Hopwood and Kristina Karpun to load the bases. Cronin followed with a single to right field, driving in Staschuk and Hopwood, before Cassie Wolfe walked to re-load the bases.
NDSU starting pitcher Whitney Johnson was replaced with Randi Parks, who struck out the first batter she faced, before Ava Hall reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Karpun, giving the Mastodons their three runs in the opening frame.
Cronin started out just as strong for IPFW, not allowing a hit until Nicole Rivera singled with one out in the third inning, snapping a streak of nine straight innings pitched without allowing a hit, as her last hit came in the first inning against Centenary almost a week ago.
In the fourth inning Staschuk hit a solo home run to center field, before Cronin added her first home run of the day an inning later, pushing IPFW to a five-run cushion in the fifth inning.
The Bison finally reached the scoreboard in the fifth inning, snapping a 22-inning scoreless streak from Cronin.
Leading 5-1, IPFW added four insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning, the first when Wolfe laid down a perfect suicide squeeze, scoring Hopwood, who opened the inning with a double. Stacey Swinford singled home Karpun a batter later, before being driven in herself on a Kaylee Faurote groundout. Wolfe scored just before Swinford when Hall doubled home the California native.
NDSU added two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the early damage was too much to overcome in the 9-3 IPFW win.
Five Mastodon players, Staschuk, Hopwood, Karpun, Cronin, and Hall, each had two hits in the game, with Staschuk, Hopwood, and Carpun each scoring twice, and Cronin driving in three. Cronin went the distance in the circle, striking out a career-high 12 batters, walking four, and allowing eight hits.
After two straight scoreless innings, the IPFW offense erupted in the third inning, when Hopwood hit a two-out triple, and was chased home with a double from Karpun. Karpun then scored when Cronin took a pitch from Parks and parked it out of the left-field fence, helping the Mastodons to a 3-0 lead.
The Bison got a run in the fifth inning when Melissa Chmielewski singled down the right field line, chasing home Elisa Victa, and snapping the shutout bit for Staschuk. Hall singled home Cronin in the top of the sixth inning to put the ‘Dons ahead 4-1.
NDSU made it interested in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring two runs and then putting a runner on second and third, before Staschuk struck out Cristina Borek to secure the win.
Cronin went 2-for-3 in the nightcap at the plate, with five other players each picking up one. Cronin also scored two runs while driving in two, tops on the team. Staschuk struck out eight and walked just one, while allowing two earned runs in the game.
The ‘Dons cap their three-game series against the Bison on Saturday afternoon, with first-pitch slated for noon CST, 1:00 PM EST.
~Dons~
