Mastodons Drop California Finale against Cal State Northridge

Wednesday, March 9

Northridge, Calif.

5:00 PM

Purdue Fort Wayne

6-4-1

Cal State Northridge

8-12

IPFW

Northridge

Rachel Staschuk scored the only run for IPFW, while also pitching the final five and one third innings of the game

Mastodons Drop California Finale against Cal State Northridge

3/9/2011 6:40:40 PM | Softball

Box Score

BOX SCORE

Northridge, CA - IPFW closed its California portion of the schedule on Wednesday afternoon with a 4-1 loss at the hands of the Cal State Northridge Matadors.

The Mastodons, now 6-4-1 on the season, started the scoring in the top of the first inning when Rachel Staschuk opened the game with a single to left-center field, before being advanced to second on an illegal pitch. After a lineout, a wild pitch pushed Staschuk to third, and after a strikeout put two outs on the board, Ashleigh Bousquet reached on a fielding error by the Matador second baseman, allowing Staschuk to score, staking IPFW to a 1-0 lead through a half-inning.

Northridge (8-12 on the year) quickly answered right back with a leadoff single to left field before being advanced to second by a bunt single a batter later. After a groundout moved the runners to second and third, Tracy Allen singled up the middle, scoring one, before seeing a teammate thrown out at the plate from a toss by center fielder Brittany Kachur. Mikayla Thielges followed a walk with a double, scoring two more, and giving the hosts a 3-1 advantage after an inning into the contest.

After a high-scoring first inning, each of the team's offenses went quiet, with neither team able to reach the scoreboard until the bottom of the fifth inning when third baseman Jaci Carlsen hit a one-out solo home run, to give Northridge a 4-1 advantage.

The solo home run would be the last runs of the game, as the Matadors closed the door by shutting out the Mastodons over the final six innings to claim the 4-1 victory.

The Mastodons were held to three hits by Matador pitcher Hannah Frajillo, who struck out three over the seven innings, not allowing an earned run. IPFW's three hits came off the bats of Staschuk, Kachur, and Sarah Swanson while Staschuk scored the team's only runs, and Swanson drawing a pair of walks.

Courtney Cronin picks up the loss, dropping to 5-3 in the circle, pitching the first two-thirds of an inning in the game, before Staschuk came in to pitch the final five and a third innings of relief, striking out four and walking one.

IPFW returns to action on March 11 and 12 for the team's Summit League-opening series against the Thunderbirds of Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah.

~Dons~