Purdue Fort Wayne
Oakland
Mastodons Sweep Regular Season Finale
5/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 9, 2010
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
Fort Wayne, IN - IPFW got a balance of strong hitting and able pitching, as the Mastodons swept the Grizzlies of Oakland University in the regular season finale on Sunday afternoon, winning the opener 8-1 and the nightcap 4-1, improving their record to 28-17 on the season, and 17-6 in Summit League play.
The Mastodons hit four home runs on the day, driving their season total to 44, the fifth most in a season in Summit League softball history, as IPFW catcher Kristina Karpun hit a pair of those, giving her 14 on the season, tied for the third most in a single season in league history, while her current slugging percentage of .822 is second best in the 17-year history of the Summit League/Mid-Continent Conference.
Oakland struck first in the opener, scoring a run after a walk and a hit-by-pitch put runners on first and second, before a wild pitch advanced the pair. After a fly-out put two outs on the board, third baseman Erica Lozon saw her check-swing make contact with the ball, as it scooted away in a perfect location for an infield single, scoring Haley Emerson for the first run of the game.
The Mastodons wasted little time answering back when Stacey Swinford hit a one-out double, advanced to second on a passed ball, and then scored on a throwing error by Grizzly catcher Angela Cicchini. The `Dons loaded the bases later in the frame, only to see the team strand three runners with a line-out to the pitcher.
In the third inning, a Courtney Cronin walk and a Cassie Wolfe double put runners on second and third, before Cronin scored on a wild pitch, and Wolfe scored when right fielder Anne Cicchini dropped a fly ball, pushing the Mastodons ahead 3-1.
Karpun, who came into the game ranked 28th in NCAA Division I in slugging percentage, saw her average rise dramatically in the bottom of the fourth inning when she led off the frame with a solo home run to center field. Leading 4-1, IPFW tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, the first two runs coming when Sara Hopwood chased home Ava Hall and Stacey Swinford, who opened the inning by getting hit by pitched in back-to-back at-bats. Rachel Staschuk followed a batter later with a single through the left side, scoring Sarah Swanson, before Hopwood was driven in on a single down the left field line by Cronin.
Cronin, who scattered three hits in the game and allowing the solitary run, saw Oakland threaten in the top of the sixth by putting a runner on third base with one out, but a pop-up and a groundout ended the threat, before setting the Grizzlies down in order in the top of the seventh to secure her school-record 18th win of the year.
Every batter in the Mastodon starting lineup got a hit, and was paced by the three from Karpun, and two each from Hopwood and Swanson. Swinford scored twice, with Hopwood driving in a pair. Brittany Doyle picked up the loss for Oakland, giving up 13 hits and six earned runs, while striking out four and walking one.
In the second game, starting pitcher Staschuk retired the first ten batters of the game in order before giving up her first hit of the game, an infield single to Ashley Sullivan, who ended the game with two of the team's three hits.
Although the no-hit bid was snapped, Staschuk still held onto a 2-0 lead after a pair of solo home runs in the opening frame, the first coming from leadoff hitter Karpun, who smacked her second of the day and 14th of the season, and the second by Cronin, her sixth of the year.
The score remained 2-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning where Staschuk led off the inning with a single through the left side before Cronin hit her second bomb of the day, a two-run home run to left field, driving in a pair, and giving the sophomore seven home runs on the year, tying the previous school record in the process.
Staschuk's shutout bid came to an end in the top of the seventh inning when Katie Dreyer chased home Ashley Sullivan, who opened the inning with a single.
With the win, Staschuk improved to 7-3 on the season, scattering three hits, striking out nine and walking one, while giving up the solitary earned run. Marisa Everitt picked up the loss, dropping her record to 5-13 on the season, as she struck out six, walked one and hit one, while giving up the four earned runs.
The Mastodons, who have secured the second seed in the upcoming conference tournament, will face off against the third seed, and tournament host, North Dakota State Bison, on Friday, May 14 in the second game of the tournament. Regular season champion Western Illinois will face off against fourth seeded South Dakota State in the opening game of the tournament.
~Dons~
