Cronin's Shutout Propels IPFW to Series-Opening Win

Saturday, May 7

Fort Wayne, Ind.

12:00 PM

Purdue Fort Wayne

27-12-1, 15-7

IUPUI

13-31, 8-13

IUPUI

IPFW

Courtney Cronin threw the 23rd shutout of her career with a 6-0 win over the Jaguars of IUPUI

Cronin's Shutout Propels IPFW to Series-Opening Win

5/7/2011 3:35:45 PM | Softball

Box Score

BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY

Fort Wayne, IN - IPFW junior Courtney Cronin had a no-hitter through the first four and two-third innings of the game, and gave up just three hits in the pitching circle while knocking three hits of her own in the batters box in leading the Mastodons to a 6-0 win over the Jaguars of IUPUI on Saturday afternoon in the first game of the final Summit League series of the season.

Cronin went the entire seven innings in the pitching circle, striking out four and walking one. She went 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of runs driven in, while Sara Hopwood went 2-for-3 with a trio of RBI's, including her third home run of the season.

The win improves IPFW's record to 27-12-1 on the season, and 15-7 in Summit League play while IUPUI falls to 13-31, and 8-13 in the conference. The six runs for IPFW gives them 219 for the season, a new single-season school record for runs in a year, passing the team's total of 213 from last year.

The win, along with the remaining Summit League schedule, secured the seeding for the 2011 Summit League Championships. UMKC, after sweeping the Southern Utah Thunderbirds this weekend to improve the team's record to 18-5 in league play, win the regular season league title. North Dakota State, with its series sweep of Centenary, improves to 17-7, clinching the second seed. IPFW has secured the third seed in the upcoming championships, with Southern Utah heading into the tournament with a 14-10 conference record.

Cronin's shutout is the 23rd of her career, which is tied for the fourth highest career total in Summit League history. She improved to 18-8 on the season, tying the single-season school record for pitching victories, and 45-26 over her career, the 45 wins the 12th highest career total in league history. Her winning percentage of .634 is the 14th highest in league history. Her 408 career strikeouts put her 11th on the all-time conference list, five away from taking sole possession of 10th place.

The Jaguars drew a one-out walk in the first inning, before Cronin sat down the next 13 batters, at which time the Mastodons held a confortable 4-0 lead in the contest.

IPFW got walks from Rachel Staschuk and Ashleigh Bousquet in the bottom of the first inning, before Cronin singled to load the bases with one out in the opening frame. After a looking strikeout, Hopwood singled, scoring Staschuk and Bousquet, giving IPFW an early 2-0 advantage.

The Mastodons were held scoreless in the bottom of the second inning, the only frame of the contest in which the 'Dons did not cross the plate. Cronin's RBI double in the third inning scored Ashleigh Bousquet, before Sarah Swanson scored Alex Bousquet in the bottom of the fourth.

Hopwood hit a two-out solo home run for the team's tally in the fifth inning, before Cronin chased home Amanda Olender with a single in the bottom of the seventh.

IPFW finished the game with 10 hits in its 28 at-bats, as all six of the runs were driven in. Nikki Thomas picked up the loss for the Jaguars, going the full six innings while walking three and striking out eight.

The same two teams meet up again on Sunday to play the final two games of the series starting at noon at the IPFW Softball Field. IPFW's five seniors, Staschuk, Swanson, Olender, Hopwood, and Kristina Karpun will be honored between the two games.

~Dons~