Purdue Fort Wayne
Western Illinois
Mastodons Fall in Ten Innings in Series Finale
4/24/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 24, 2010
Macomb, IL – A Beth Golitko single in the bottom of the 10th inning that scored Colleen Beibel provided the winning runs in a marathon-game in the Summit League, with the hosts Western Illinois taking all three games in the series with the IPFW Mastodons, winning the finale 3-2 in ten innings on Saturday afternoon.
Rachel Staschuk and Sara Hopwood each went 2-for-4 on the day, with Courtney Cronin picking up the loss, falling to 15-9 on the year, pitching the first nine and a third innings, striking out six and allowing just two earned runs and walking one.
Cronin was cruising to start the game, facing two over the minimum through three innings before allowing an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth inning. WIU threatened again in the bottom of the fifth inning when Biebel singled to center field with Michelle Prieto on second base; however, center fielder threw out Preito at home plate trying to advance two bases, keeping the margin at just one through five innings.
The Mastodons used the momentum from the strong defensive play to end the fifth inning, and turned it into a double by Staschuk to open the inning, and after a strikeout, Kristina Karpun reached on an error to put runners on the corner with one out in the frame. Hopwood followed with a single to right field, scoring Staschuk and knotting the score at one apiece.
The Leathernecks put their leadoff runner, Golitko, on base to open the bottom of the seventh inning, and she was moved to second when Lori Pankratz hit a sacrifice bunt. With the winning run two bases from scoring, Cronin got the next two batters to strike out and ground out to third base, ending the threat.
In the bottom of the eighth Western Illinois put their leadoff runner, Ashley Campbell, on base with a single through the left side, and she was advanced to second on a passed ball. A groundout moved Campbell to third with one out, but she was left stranded there when Julie DePolo grounded out to first base, and Jamie Goss struck out.
The Mastodons took the lead in the top of the ninth inning when Stacey Swinford was hit by a pitch with two outs, before getting moved to third on an Ava Hall double. A wild pitch advanced both runners, scoring Swinford, and giving the ‘Dons a 2-1 lead.
Western Illinois loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, before Nikki Marinec hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Lauren Furgala, as Campbell ended the inning with a swinging strikeout.
The Mastodons went down in order in the top of the tenth inning, before the hosts pushed a run across the plate to give the Leathernecks the series sweep, the first time the ‘Dons have lost a Summit League series under first-year head coach Amy Tudor.
Golitko was 4-of-5 at the plate in the win, with three other Leatherneck players, Biebel, Goss, and Prieto, each picking up one hit. Ferguson, who picked up the victory in all three games of the series, pitched the entire ten innings, striking out 13 and giving up two runs, one earned.
The Mastodons return to action on Wednesday, April 28, when the team travels to Ypsilanti, Michigan, to take on Eastern Michigan University.
~Dons~
