Purdue Fort Wayne
Ball State
Mastodons Take Seventh Straight With 5-4 Win over Ball State
4/6/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 6, 2010
Muncie, IN - A four-run first inning gave early momentum to the IPFW Mastodon softball team, as the ‘Dons held on late, knocking off the Cardinals of Ball State University, who a week ago were receiving votes in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll, by a 5-4 final score.
Starting pitcher Courtney Cronin continued her strong sophomore campaign, striking out nine batters in picking up her 12th win of the season, two more than the previous single-season school record, and moving into third in career wins with 21.
The win for the Mastodons is their 20th of the season, as the squad becomes just the third team in program history to eclipse the 20-win plateau, and the first since 1994.
Kristina Karpun increased her team-leading hitting streak to a dozen, going 2-for-3 at the plate, scoring once, as Cassie Wolfe also went 2-for-3, with a two-run single and a solo home run, driving home three runs in the game.
The Mastodons wasted no time in jumping out to a quick lead, when Wolfe singled to left field, chasing home Rachel Staschuk, who led of the game with a walk, and Karpun, who hit a one-out double, pushing IPFW to a 2-0 lead. A batter later Stacey Swinford hammered her fourth home run of the season, scoring herself and Wolfe, staking the ‘Dons to a quick 4-0 lead through the first half inning of action.
The host Cardinals got on the board for the first time in the bottom of the second inning when leadoff hitter Jessie Ware hit her eighth triple of the season, increasing her NCAA-leading total, before scoring her 30th run of the year on a sacrifice fly out from Amanda Carpenter.Ball State answered again in the bottom of the fourth inning when Carpenter hit a two-out single, scoring Alicia Barkley, who opened the rally with a a one-out single.
IPFW added an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning with Wolfe’s fifth home run of the season, and tenth of her career, a monster shot over the left field wall, pushing IPFW to a 5-2 lead. The Cardinals answered back quickly, as Ware hit her second triple of the game, and then scored on the same play when the throw to third base went scooting into the Ball State dugout, sending Ware home with an unearned run.
Kate Wilczynski hit a leadoff home run to open the seventh inning to cut the deficit to one at 5-4, before pitcher Amanda Olender came in a relief role, picking up her school record fourth career save in allowing just one hit while striking out one.
Ware was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate for the Cardinals, scoring twice with a pair of triples, as starting pitcher Audra Sanders picked up the loss, dropping her record to 4-5 on the season, but struck out eight and scattered five hits and walking one.
The ‘Dons return to action on Friday, April 9 when IPFW hosts conference for South Dakota State in a double header, scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM at the IPFW Softball Field.
~Dons~
