Bousquet's Bombs Lead to Record-Setting Day

Tuesday, April 17

Fort Wayne, Ind.

3:00 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

32-10

Western Michigan

19-16

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Western Michigan	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	8	0
IPFW	0	0	1	2	0	0	1	4	8	0

Photo by: Lucas Carter

4/17/2012 9:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Brittany Kachur was 4-for-7 at the plate, while Alex Bousquet and Ashleigh Bousquet each homered in the doubleheader, each setting a major single-season record during the day as the IPFW Mastodons swept past the Western Michigan Broncos on Tuesday afternoon by scores of 4-3 and 5-2.

With the wins, the Mastodons continue to increase its school-record win total, as the squad not sits at 33-10 this season, four more wins than the previous record of 29 set in 2010. Western Michigan falls to 19-17 this season. The sweep of the Broncos also puts IPFW 9-1 this season against teams from the Mid-American Conference, with two-game sweeps of Kent State, Eastern Michigan, Toledo and a split with Bowling Green.

On the day, the offense was paced by Brittany Kachur, who went 5-for-7 at the plate, scoring three times and driving in the game-winning run in the series opener.

The day started roughly for the Mastodons, as Bronco first baseman Tara Buchanan hit a two-run home run in the first inning of the game, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead through one-half inning.

Alex Bousquet led off the third inning with a solo home run, her team-leading seventh of the season, while also giving her 36 runs this season, passing the previous record of 35 set by Sara Hopwood in 2010.

An inning later Audrey Mintari knotted the score an inning later with a one-out solo home run, which was followed by back-to-back hits and a walk to load the bases for Ashleigh Bousquet, who drew her third walk in as many at bats, pushing home Kachur, and giving IPFW a 3-2 lead.

The Broncos tied the game in the top of the sixth, before the Mastodons pieced together an infield single, walk, and hit by pitch to load the bases, before Kachur lined the second pitch she saw into right field, just out of the grasp of the Western Michigan right fielder, and giving IPFW the 4-3 win.

Alex Bousquet was 2-for-3 in the game, while Mackenzie Ritsema and Kachur was 2-for-4. Ritsema, Mintari, Kachur, and Alex Bousquet each scored a run, while each Bousquet, Mintari, and Kachur drove in one.

Courtney Cronin picked up the win, pitching two and a third inning in relief, striking out one, scattering two hits and allowing one run. Megan Flenniken started the game, pitching four and two-thirds inning, striking out five, and giving up two earned runs.

The Mastodons drew seven walks in the game, four from Ashleigh Bousquet, as the sophomore did not have an official plate appearance in the game.

The nightcap saw the Broncos jump out to another lead, a 1-0 advantage when WMU third baseman Gracie Barstad homered in the third inning. A half-inning later the 'Dons threatened, started with an Alex Bousquet walk, her sixth straight walk, the fifth-longest streak of consecutive walks in NCAA softball history, but the 'Dons came up empty with the bases loaded for the second straight inning.

In the fourth, after an infield single and walk, Ashleigh Bousquet recorded her first official plate appearance of the game with a three-run home run to left field, giving IPFW a 3-1 lead, and giving Bousquet 44 RBI's, a new single-season school record, passing the former record of 43 set in 2010 by Kristina Karpun. A batter later, Dani Pugh homered down the left field line, giving the 'Dons a 4-1 lead.

After allowing a run in the top of the fifth, the Mastodons got the run back in the bottom half of the frame when the squad took advantage of a Western Michigan fielding error, as Kachur scored on the play.

With the teams chasing the sunlight, the 'Dons got the final three outs in the top of the seventh to close out the win.

Kachur was a perfect 3-for-3 in the game, including a double off of the center field extention, while scoring twice. Ritsema was 2-for-4, while five others (Franklin, Pugh, Mintari, Kayti Hanson, and Ashleigh Bousquet) had one hit.

Miranda Kramer picked up the win, improving to 8-3 on the season, striking out six in four innings of work while scattering six hits and allowing one run, while Cronin picked up the save in relief, striking out one and allowing four hits and one earned run.

The 'Dons return to action when the squad steps back into conference action with a three-game series of Western Illinois University starting at 4 p.m. EST on April 20.

~ Feel the Rumble ~