Sweep Puts IPFW in Tie for Second

Saturday, April 2

Sioux Falls, S.D.

2:00 PM

Purdue Fort Wayne

14-8-1, 10-6

South Dakota State

7-20, 4-3

IPFW

South Dakota St.

Ashleigh Bousquet went 4-for-6 at the plate in IPFW's sweep of South Dakota State

4/2/2011 2:11:36 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE

Sioux Falls, SD - The IPFW Mastodons swept the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, after seeing the location changed due to wet field conditions in Brookings. The 'Dons won the opener 12-5, before holding on for a 6-4 win in the nightcap.

With the sweep, IPFW moves into a two-way tie for second place in the league standings at 7-4 in Summit League play, while improving to 15-8-1 overall in winning its fifth consecutive game.

The Mastodons wasted little time in reaching the scoreboard against the Jackrabbits, as Staschuk led off the series with a triple to right-center field, before being chased home on a single by classmate Sarah Swanson a batter later. Swanson then proceeded to steal second and third base, scoring when the throw for the SDSU catcher to the third baseman went awry, sending Swanson across the plate and giving IPFW a 2-0 advantage.

A Kris Karpun walk kept the inning going, as she was followed by a single down the left field line by Cronin. A walk to Ashleigh Bousquet loaded the bases, before a second consecutive walk, this one to Sara Hopwood, pushed home Karpun. Brittany Kachur followed with a single through the right side of the infield, scoring Cronin and Bousquet, pushing the IPFW advantage to 5-0 with just one out in the frame. A walk to Alex Bousquet re-loaded the bases, before a force-out at home plate and a groundout to the pitcher ended the threat in the opening frame, as 11 batters came around to the plate, and the team scored its second highest first-inning total of the season, behind the 11 scored at Southern Utah earlier this year.

Staked to the early 5-0 lead, IPFW starting pitcher Cronin was able to relax, and struck out four of the first eight batters she faced before getting replaced through three innings of work by freshman Megan Flenniken.

Another run in the top of the second inning came when Ashleigh Bousquet tripled to right-center field, IPFW's second triple of the game, chasing home Karpun, who had singled earlier in the frame. An insurance run came in the top of the third inning when Kachur walked, was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Alex Bousquet, and scored on a Jackrabbit error by the shortstop.

SDSU broke the shutout hope in the bottom of the fifth inning when the Jackrabbits scored five times, forcing Cronin to return to the circle, after the hosts cut the deficit to two at 7-5, and ended the frame by striking out the last two batters she faced.

After seeing its lead cut to just two, the Mastodons responded with three runs, the first two coming on an RBI single by Ashleigh Bousquet that scored Karpun and Cronin. Bousquet, after stealing second base, was driven home on a double to left center field from Kachur, her third RBI of the game, and putting the Mastodons in double-figures in the runs column for the second consecutive game, after scoring 10 against Butler on March 30.

Two more runs in the top of the seventh inning on a passed ball that scored Swanson, and a throwing error by the catcher that scored pinch-runner Audrey Mintari pushed the Mastodon lead to 12-5 before Cronin closed the door with a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh inning, giving the Mastodons the seven-run victory.

Four Mastodons, Karpun, Cronin, Ashleigh Bousquet, and Kachur, each had two hits, with Bousquet and Kachur driving in three apiece. Karpun scored three times, while Cronin and Bousquet scored twice. Swanson's three stolen bases tie the school Division I single-game record, origninally set by Tierni Green against Saint Louis on February 22, 2004.

Cronin improved to 10-6 on the season, pitching 5.1 innings, striking out eight and scattering three hits. The win is also Cronin's 37th of her career, an IPFW career record, and tied for the 16th highest win total in Summit League softball history.

In the afternoon finale, neither team was able to find the scoreboard in the opening inning, before the 'Dons scored a pair in the top of the second frame when Alex Bousquet singled home twin sister Ashleigh and Hopwood, pushing IPFW to a 2-0 lead.

That lead was short-lived, however, as South Dakota State answered back with a three-run triple off the bat of leadoff hitter Ashley Durazo, pushing the hosts to a 3-2 lead through two innings.

IPFW came back with its answer in the top of the fourth inning when Swanson doubled home Alex Bousquet and Staschuk, as the Mastodons re-took the lead at 4-3. Like the last time IPFW took a lead, SDSU quickly answered when Durazo hit her second triple in as many at-bats, pushing home starting pitcher Pam Nicholson to tie the game at four runs apiece.

In the top of the sixth inning IPFW once again jumped ahead when Swanson singled up the middle, scoring Alex Bousquet, who opened the frame with a double to right-center field. Swanson was then pushed across the plate later in the inning when Cronin singled to left field, giving IPFW a 6-4 lead after the top of the sixth inning.

After coming up empty in the top of the seventh inning, junior pitcher Cronin went to the circle in relief of starting pitcher Staschuk, and had a 1-2-3 inning for her first save of the season.

Five different Mastodon batters had two hits, as the team's 13 hits tied a season-high, set on Wednesday against Butler. Swanson went 2-for-4 driving in three runs, and Alex Bousquet went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two driven in.

Staschuk picked up the win, pitching the first six innings of the game, striking out three and allowing five hits over her time, before Cronin closed out the game, picking up her third career save, striking out one.

The teams return to the field on Sunday for the series finale between the two teams, 1:00 PM.

~Dons~