Walker's Pitching Gem Salvages Series Split for Mastodons

Saturday, March 26

Fort Wayne, Ind.

5:00 PM

Purdue Fort Wayne

Milwaukee

Samuel Walker threw a two-hit shutout on Sunday afternoon against the Milwaukee Panthers

Walker's Pitching Gem Salvages Series Split for Mastodons

3/27/2011 3:32:37 PM | Baseball

Box Score

GAME 3 BOX SCORE | GAME 4 BOX SCORE

Fort Wayne, IN - Behind a pitching gem by senior Samuel Walker, the Mastodons salvaged a series split with the Panthers of Milwaukee over the weekend. Walker went the entire nine innings, striking out nine, and allowing just two hits in the 3-0 IPFW victory.

Nate Thomas went 2-for-4 at the plate, while Kristian Gayday went 1-for-3 with a pair of runs driven in.

The Mastodons first reached the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning when Cory Miller led off the frame with a walk, and was moved to second on a single by Thomas before Gayday singled to center field, scoring Miller for the eventual game-winning run.

IPFW added to its lead with a run in both the seventh and eighth inning, the first run coming via an RBI double by Will Faulkner, scoring Gayday, and the latter on a Gayday RBI groundout that chased pinch-runner Jordan Hoing home for the game's final tally.

Milwaukee's only hits came via a single to lead off the third inning, and a double with one out in the seventh, as Walker struck out at least one batter in six of the nine innings he pitched.

Mike Schneider picked up the loss for the visitors, who used five total pitchers in the loss.

Before the start of the series finale, the two teams met up to complete a suspended game from the night before, which was halted because of darkness with the teams tied at one run apiece after ten innings.

Each team went down in order in the 11th inning, before the Panthers erupted for four runs in the top of the 12th inning, as IPFW was unable to answer, giving Milwaukee the 5-1 victory.

In the lengthy loss, A.J. Christensen and Caleb Fenimore were each 2-for-2 at the plate, with the Mastodons' only run coming in the bottom of the fourth inning when Kurt Dudley successfully converted a straight steal of home plate with the bases loaded.

With the series split, IPFW goes to 4-12 on the young season. Next up for the Blue and White is a trip to West Lafayette on Tuesday, March 29, where the team will face off against the Boilermakers of Purdue University.

~Dons~