Staschuk and Wolfe Lead Offense in Sweep of UMKC

Saturday, March 19

Fort Wayne, Ind.

12:00 PM

Purdue Fort Wayne

10-6-1, 4-2

UMKC

13-9, 3-3

UMKC

IPFW

Cassie Wolfe put the finishing touches on the IPFW offensive output with a three-run home run in the fourth inning

Staschuk and Wolfe Lead Offense in Sweep of UMKC

3/19/2011 3:21:18 PM | Softball

Box Score

BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY

Fort Wayne, IN - Fourth-inning home runs from Rachel Staschuk and Cassie Wolfe helped give IPFW starting pitcher Courtney Cronin some cushion in a 7-2 Summit League win over the UMKC Kangaroos, giving the Mastodons a season-sweep of the 'Roos.

The win improves IPFW's record to 10-6-1 on the season, and 4-2 in league play while UMKC falls to 13-9 and an even 3-3 in Summit League games.

Staschuk led off the fourth inning with a solo home run to right-center field, before Wolfe connected on a one-ball, two-strike pitch, launching it over the fence along the left field line, scoring herself and two others, pushing the Mastodons to a 7-1 lead.

The Kangaroos scored first in the game when Anna Sokolik hit a single through the left side, stole second base, and was chased home on a double to left field by Emily Ott. The 'Ross continued to put pressure on Cronin, loading the bases with one out in the frame, before the 2010 Summit League Pitcher of the Year struck out Ashley Whiteside and Kaelene Curry to keep the visitors with just one run on the scoreboard.

Trailing for the first time in the weekend series, IPFW quickly answered with two runs in the bottom half of the second inning starting with a leadoff walk by Kristina Karpun. Cronin followed with a single to third base, before Brittany Kachur sacrificed the runners over to second and third. Alex Bousquet drew a walk to load the bases with two outs, before Staschuk tied the game with a single to center field, scoring Karpun. A batter later Sarah Swanson drew a bases-loaded walk to push the Mastodons to a 2-1 lead.

An inning later Karpun scored again when she was chased home on a deep double by Sara Hopwood. Insurance runs came in the fourth inning by way of the home runs, as Wolfe drove in Ashley Bousquet and Swanson with her third home run of the season and 18th of her career, tied for the 17th most in a career in Summit League history.

UMKC closed the gap with a run in the top of the seventh inning, but the deficit was too much to overcome in the five-run IPFW win.

Staschuk was a perfect 2-of-2 at the plate while also drawing two walks. Wolfe drove in three, going 1-for-2 while walking twice, as IPFW drew eight total walks in the game. Karpun scored twice, having drawn a pair of walks, while Swanson, Cronin, and Hopwood had the team's other three hits in the win.

Cronin improved to 7-5 on the season, going the entire seven innings, striking out seven, wakling three and scattering five hits. UMKC's Deanna Friese picked up the loss, pitching the first three and a third inning of the game, walking five and allowing four runs on four hits. Kelly Fischer went 2-for-3 for UMKC, the only player with multiple hits in the game.

The Mastodons return to action on Tuesday, March 22, when the team steps out of conference action for a home double header against the Chippewas of Central Michigan University, with first-pitch set for 3:00 PM at the IPFW Softball Fields

~Dons~