Purdue Fort Wayne
8-27, 0
North Dakota State
13-19, 0
Mastodons Sweep Bison in Summit League Twinbill
4/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 23, 2010
Fort Wayne, IN - Great pitching, timely hitting and a walkoff game-winning double highlighted IPFW's double header sweep of visiting North Dakota State on Friday afternoon at Mastodon Field.
The Mastodons swept the Bison by the identical scores of 2-1.
Game 1 of the twinbill was a classic pitcher's duel between IPFW starter Nick Opitz and NDSU starter Kyle Kingsley.
IPFW manufactured a run in the first inning after two outs. Catcher Cory Miller singled to shortstop, stole second and then scored on an RBI single by first baseman A.J. Christensen.
The Bison (13-20, 3-7 SL) didn't crack the scoring column against Opitz until the top of the fifth when center fielder Michael Riewer greeted him with a leadoff homer to left. It was Riewer's first homerun of the season.
After that, both Kinglsey and Optiz put zeros on the board until the bottom of the 9th inning.
Miller led off the frame with a single to right field. Christensen stepped up to the plate looking for his third hit of the game, and he got it, a frozen rope off the left center field fence that bounced away from Riewer. Miller was waved all the way around from first by third base coach Josh Schultz and scored standing up giving the 'Dons a walkoff 2-1 win.
Christensen and Miller both went 3-4 in the game.
Kingsley was the tough-luck loser (3-3). He tossed 8.0 complete giving up the two runs on eight hits. He struck out six and walked none.
Opitz' complete game was his third win of the season (3-3). He didn't strike out a batter and walked just one.
In Game 2 it was NDSU getting on the board first as the Bison played small-ball. In the 4th inning, first baseman Zach Wentz led off with a single, was sacrificed to second and scored on a single by designated hitter Eric Nutzhorn.
The Mastodons would tie the game in the bottom of the fifth inning on a homerun by Daren Boss. Boss' blast was his second of the season.
IPFW broke the tie in the 5th inning. Christensen doubled to center to lead off the frame. He moved to third on a bunt single by third baseman Shaun VanDriessche and came home on a fielder's choice from the bat of center fielder Kurt Dudley.
IPFW starter Matt Antos worked though the seventh and then turned the ball over to reliever Matt Ransbottom in the 8th inning. Ransbottom allowed just a single to Nutzhorn in two innings and closed it out giving the 'Dons the sweep.
Antos picked up the win (1-5). He struck out six and did not issue a free pass. Ransbottom earned his first save of the year.
NDSU starter McHale Maristuen was tagged with the loss (1-6). He was charged with IPFW's two runs on eight hits. He struck out four and didn't walk a batter.
On the afternoon, A.J. Christensen was 6-8 with two RBI and two runs scored.
With the sweep, IPFW improves to 9-27 and 5-5 in Summit League play.
The series will conclude Saturday afternoon with another double header beginning at noon at Mastodon Field.
~Dons~
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Opitz, Nick (3-3)
L: Kyle Kingsley (3-3)
Batting:
HR: Michael Riewer 1
RBI: Michael Riewer 1
SH: Justin Kline 1 ; Max Casper 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Michael Riewer 1
Batting:
2B: Christensen, A.J. 1
RBI: Christensen, A.J. 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Miller, Cory 2
SB: Miller, Cory 1
