IPFW Offense Erupts in Split with Leathernecks

Saturday, April 21

Macomb, Ill.

1:00 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

34-10, 0

Western Illinois

22-21, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
IPFW	0	0	1	4	2	5	12	14	2
Western Illinois	2	1	0	1	0	0	4	4	1

Photo by: Lucas Carter

IPFW Offense Erupts in Split with Leathernecks

4/21/2012 4:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE

MACOMB, Ill. - In a key Summit League series between the IPFW Mastodons and the Western Illinois Leathernecks, the squads split the two games of the day, with the Mastodons winning 12-4 in six innings in the opener, before the hosts took game two 7-2.

The win in the opening game was the first by the Mastodons at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium, and with the split today, the 'Dons have won three of the last five meetings between the two teams. IPFW goes to 34-11 overall and 11-6 in the Summit League, while the Leathernecks go to 23-21, and 13-5 in league play.

The Leathernecks jumped out quickly to start the series, scoring two runs in the first inning, and another in the second to lead 3-0 through two innings.

IPFW cut into the deficit when Alex Bousquet opened the inning when she was hit by a pitch, before she stole second to put a runner in scoring position. After a groundout kept Bousquet at third Courtney Cronin singled up the middle, scoring Bousquet and dropping the margin to two runs at 3-1.

The Mastodon bats exploded in the top of the fourth inning, starting as the first three batters of the inning reached on a walk, a fielder's choice, and an infield single. After a groundout at the plate put the first out on the board, Alex Bousquet singled up the middle to score Kayti Hanson. Ashleigh Bousquet followed with a base hit to right field, pushing home Brittany Kachur. A Dani Pugh sacrifice fly scored Larissa Franklin, giving the 'Dons a 4-3 lead, before Cronin put up what would end up being the eventual game-winning RBI with a single through the left side, scoring Alex Bousquet.

Western Illinois closed to within one with a run in the bottom of the fourth, before the 'Dons loaded the bases with one out, with Ashleigh Bousquet driving in two with a single to center field, scoring Hanson and Audrey Mintari, increasing IPFW's lead to 7-4.

With WIU going down without a fight in the fifth, Cronin opened the top of the fifth with a home run to right-center field to see IPFW double-up WIU 8-4. A Mintari single was sandwiched between a pair of strikeouts, as the 'Dons proceeded to go to work with two outs, as Franklin singled down the left field line to score Mintari. After Franklin advanced to second, Alex Bousquet singled home Kachur. With runners on the corners, Franklin scored when Bousquet stole second base, before scoring when her sister tripled to left-center field, giving IPFW a 12-4 lead.

Pitcher Miranda Kramer set the Leathernecks down in order in the top of the sixth, giving the game its 12-4 run-rule victory.

Five different Mastodons recorded multiple hits, including Ashleigh Bousquet, Cronin, and Kachur, who each went 3-for-4, as Alex Bousquet was 2-for-4 and Franklin 2-for-5. Alex Bousquet scored three times to increase her school-record run total, as Franklin, Mintari, Hanson, and Kachur each scored twice. Ashleigh Bousquet drove in four runs, giving her 48 for the season, which leads the conference, and is the 13th highest single-season total in Summit League history, as Cronin added three RBI, and Alex Bousquet two.

Kramer picked up the win, pitching the final five and a third inning of relief, striking out two and scattering two hits while walking six and giving up two runs, one earned. Cronin started the game, getting two outs but allowing two runs and two hits before being lifted early in the contest.

The hosts scored first in the nightcap when the Leathernecks scored on a groundout to third base, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.

The Mastodons answered back quickly with a run in the top of the third when Franklin hit an infield single and stole second base for her school-record 18th stolen base of the year. A groundout to first base moved Franklin to third, and after a flyout to center field, Pugh singled into left field to knot the score at one apiece.

A 1-2-3 inning followed for WIU, before the hosts scored two runs in the fourth on a two-run single by Teagan Walsh to give the Leathernecks a 3-1 lead. The Mastodons threatened in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with one out; however, a groundball to the WIU third baseman turned into a double play, and the hosts carried over the momentum from the play to score four runs in the bottom of the fifth, the final on a three-run home run by Jamie Goss to give WIU a 7-1 lead.

An RBI single by Pugh to score Franklin in the seventh would provide the final offense in the game, as the Leathernecks drew the split with the 7-2 win.

Pugh was a perfect 3-for-3 for IPFW in the finale, while driving in both Mastodon runs, each time scoring Franklin. Franklin was 2-for-4, as the rest of the IPFW lineup was a combined 3-for-21 in the loss.

Megan Flenniken picks up the loss, pitching into the fifth inning, giving up five runs on six hits, and walking none. Kramer and Cronin each came on in relief, Kramer giving up two runs, and Cronin returing the Leathernecks in the sixth without a score.

The squads return to action tomorrow for the rubber-match of the series, with the winner holding a tiebreaker over the other in the tight two weeks remaining before the 2012 Summit League Championships hosted by UMKC.

~ Feel the Rumble ~