Offensive Outburst Leads to Split of Summit League Opening Series

Friday, March 11

Cedar City, Utah

3:00 PM

Purdue Fort Wayne

6-5-1, 0

Southern Utah

6-14, 0

IPFW

Southern Utah

Amanda Olender picked up her first win of the season, pitching the final three and two-thirds of an inning against Southern Utah

Offensive Outburst Leads to Split of Summit League Opening Series

3/11/2011 6:08:40 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Cedar City, UT - IPFW split its 2011 Summit League opening series with the Southern Utah University Thunderbirds on Friday afternoon, falling in the opener 4-3, before winning a slugfest in the second by a 14-3 final score.

For the two games, Rachel Staschuk was 4-for-6 at the plate with four runs scored and three runs driven in. Courtney Cronin was 3-for-6 with two runs scored an an RBI, while Ashleigh Bousquet drove in four runs, all in the first inning of the second game, going 2-for-6 at the plate with two runs scored.

The opener started as a pitcher's duel, with neither of the team's pitchers allowing a run through four and a half innings of the contest. Southern Utah reached the scoreboard first in the bottom of the fifth inning when the hosts strung together three straight two-out infield hits, with the Thunderbirds scoring when pitcher Courtney Cronin's throw to third base missed the target, allowing Jenavieve Purcell and Aly Daniels to score a pair of unearned runs.

IPFW (7-5-1, 1-1 Summit League) countered with a pair of runs of its own in the top of the sixth inning when Staschuk hit a one-out single, before Kristina Karpun hit another single an out later to put runners on the corners. Pinch hitter Jordan Millspaugh then reached on a fielding error by the Thunderbird second baseman, allowing pinch runner Kaylee Faurote to score, before Cronin doubled home Karpun a batter later, tying the game at two runs apiece.

The Thunderbirds (6-15, 1-1 Summit League) strung together a hit and a hit-by-pitch to open the sixth inning, before the lead runners were advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Nicole Huntsman and Cora Cordova followed with back-to-back RBI singles, to push the hosts to another two-run advantage, this one at 4-2.

The Mastodons rallied for a comeback effort in the top of the seventh inning, starting with a leadoff single by right fielder Amber Pierce and a single through the right side by pinch-hitter Sara Hopwood. A fielder's choice kept runners at first and second before Staschuk hit a one-run double to left field, scoring Alex Bousquet, and cutting the deficit to one at 4-3. The inning ended with runners on second and third with a lineout to the pitcher, and a pop-up to the shortstop, as SUU held on for the 4-3 win.

Staschuk was 2-for-4 in the opener, with an RBI and a run scored, as Amber Pierce went 2-for-3 at the plate. Cronin picked up the loss, dropping the junior to 5-4 on the season, striking out four and allowing just the pair of earned runs.

IPFW kept its momentum from the end of the first game, and carried it over to the top of the first inning of the second game, scoring nine runs in the opening frame. Staschuk opened the inning with a walk, and was driven home on a triple by Ashleigh Bousquet. Bousquet was sent home on a sacrifice squeeze from Karpun, pushing the Mastodon lead to 2-0.

Cronin followed with a single that moved Karpun to second, before a Millspaugh walk loaded the bases. Pierce grounded out to second base, allowing Karpun to score, before Alex Bousquet walked to re-load the bases. Sarah Swanson then hit an RBI groundout of her own, scoring Cronin. The bases loaded for the third time in the frame on a walk to Kachur, before Staschuk, in her second at-bat of the inning, doubled home Millspaugh and Bousquet. A batter later, Ashleigh Bousquet hit her first collegiate home run, driving home home herself, Staschuk, and Kachur, pushing IPFW to a 9-0 lead through a half-inning.

Trailing by nine, the Thunderbirds got solo home runs from Daniels, Darleen Fernandez, and Madison Resley in the bottom of the first inning, cutting the deficit to six at 9-3.

The 'Dons batted around again in the second inning, scoring five runs, on a sacrifice fly from Pierce, a two-run double by Swanson, and a two-run single by Karpun.

Staked to a 14-3 lead, the Mastodons held the Thunderbirds scoreless for the remainder of the game, while being held scoreless for their own final three innings, as IPFW head coach Amy Tudor emptied the bench in the lopsided win.

The three home runs in the first inning would represent three of the four hits in the game for Southern Utah, as Staschuk and Amanda Olender combined for the five innings. Olender picking up her first win of the season after pitching the final three and two-thirds on an inning, allowed just two baserunners over her time on a fielding error and an infield single, while striking out four. Starting pitcher Staschuk went the first inning and a third, allowing the three earned runs while hitting two batters.

The Mastodons and Thunderbirds meet one more time in the series, scheduled for tomorrow afternoon in Cedar City at 2:00 PM EST.

~Dons~