Mastodons Fall in Extra Innings to Kangaroos

Sunday, March 25

Kansas City, Mo.

1:00 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

22-7, 7-2

UMKC

12-13, 2-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
IPFW	1	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	13	2
UMKC	0	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	5	9	1

Photo by: Lucas Carter

3/25/2012 5:36:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

BOX SCORE

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Scheduled only to play only one seven-inning game on the final day of the weekend triple-header, the IPFW Mastodons and UMKC Kangaroos played the equivalent of two games, as the Mastodons fell in 14 innings to the Kangaroos by a 5-4 score.

The 14 innings sets a new IPFW record, previously set in 2008 when the Mastodons and Centenary Ladies went 13 innings, before Centenary came away with the victory. Larissa Franklin and Ashleigh Bousquet each set single-game IPFW records with seven at-bats, as the Mastodons used all three of its pitchers throughout the game.

The loss drops IPFW to 22-7 on the year and 7-2 in the Summit League, which puts the Mastodons into a tie for second place in the league standings, as UMKC improves to 12-13 overall and 2-4 in League play.

Alex Bousquet opened the game with a solo home run, staking the 'Dons to a 1-0 lead, before UMKC scored two runs in both the bottom of the second and bottom of the third inning, jumping ahead 4-1.

In the top of the fourth inning, IPFW had runners on second and third with two outs, before Ashleigh Bousquet hit a three-run, game-tying home run to right-center field, knotting the game at four runs apiece.

After seeing eight total runs scored over the first four innings, the next nine innings saw no scoring. IPFW put two runners on in the top of the ninth and the top of the 12th, but none were able to come around to score.

UMKC threatened in the bottom of the 13th, with back-to-back walks and a sacrifice bunt that moved the runners to second and third; however, a groundout to second baseman Kayti Hanson ended the threat, and sent the game into a school-record 14th inning.

In the top of the 14th, after a pair of strikeouts, the Mastodons used a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases, before a fly-out ended the threat, before the 'Roos used an Anna Sokolik single in the bottom of the 14th to score Kaelene Curry, and end the marathon-game.

Four Mastodon players: Franklin (3-for-7), Audrey Mintari (2-for-4), Mackenzie Ritsema (2-for-6), and Ashleigh Bousquet (2-for-7); had multiple hits in the game, while Alex Bousquet scored twice and Alex Bousquet drove in three.

Miranda Kramer picked up the loss, pitching the final six and two-thirds of an inning in relief, striking out five and giving up just two hits. Courtney Cronin got the start for the Mastodons and was lifted in the second inning, as Megan Flenniken pitched the next six innings, giving up two earned runs, striking out four and giving up five hits.

UMKC starting pitcher Deanna Friese picked up the win, going the distance in the game, striking out 14, walking seven, and throwing an eye-popping 221 pitches, 138 for strike. She gave up 13 hits and the four earned runs, all in the first four innings of the game.

The Mastodons, after traveling back from Kansas City, return to action on Tuesday, March 27, when the team plays host to Eastern Michigan University at the IPFW Softball Field with first-pitch slated for 3 p.m.

~ Feel the Rumble ~