Softball Splits on First Day of Lobo Classic

Friday, February 15

Albuquerque, N.M.

11 a.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

2-3

Bradley

4-2

Bradley

IPFW

Photo by: Lucas Carter

2/15/2013 6:08:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BRADLEY BOX SCORE (.pdf) | HAMPTON BOX SCORE (.pdf)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The IPFW Mastodons split the first day of competition at the New Mexico Lobo Classic, falling 8-6 to the Bradley Braves, before rebounding for a 6-1 win over Hampton.

Ashleigh Bousquet went 3-for-6 for IPFW on the day, driving in four and scoring once, while Brittany Kachur was 3-for-8, scoring five times. Pitcher Miranda Kramer went for 11 innings on the day, giving up four earned runs and striking out a dozen, picking up the team's win against Hampton, ending the day with a 1-1 overall record.

In the opener against Bradley, the Braves jumped ahead with a run in the first and two more in the second before IPFW countered with three scores in the bottom of the second inning. The 'Dons opened the frame by drawing a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a single to load the bases, before Dani Pugh chased home Megan Flenniken with a fielder's choice, cutting the gap to 3-1.

After a Hilary Kartman single re-loaded the bases, Larissa Franklin reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Kachur to score, before Kartman scored on a wild pitch to even the tally at three apiece.

Bradley added two more runs in the top of the third inning, before the 'Dons once again chipped away at the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth when Alex Bousquet singled home pinch-runner Taylor Gordy Prescott, and again in the bottom of the fifth when a Pugh double brought in Kachur, tying the game at five apiece.

The Braves twice scored in the sixth, and those two runs were countered by one from IPFW in the bottom of the inning when Alex Bousquet hit her first home run of the season, closing the gap in half; however, Bradley added another run in the top of the seventh, whilel the 'Dons were scoreless in the 8-6 Bradley win.

Three IPFW players, Franklin, Alex Bousquet, and Pugh were each 2-for-4, with Brittany Kachur going 1-for-4 with two runs scored. Megan Flenniken pitched the first three innings of the game, striking out four while giving up five earned runs. Kramer came in and pitched the final four innings of the game, striking out four and giving up three runs.

Against the Hampton Pirates, the 'Dons never trailed, scoring a run in the top of the first inning when Ashleigh Bousquet tripled in Kachur, giving IPFW a 1-0 advantage. Hampton tied the game with a run in the bottom of the second, but a run from IPFW in the fourth when a pair of walks and a fielding error loaded the bases, before Flenniken reached on a fielding error by the Pirate right fielder, scoring Alex Bousquet for the eventual game-winning run.

Ashleigh Bousquet hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth inning, scoring Kachur, before the 'Dons added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning, the first two runs coming on an Ashleigh Bousquet single, scoring Kachur and Alex Bousquet, before Kartman singled home Ashleigh Bousquet to give the game its 6-1 final score.

Ashleigh Bousquet was 2-for-3 at the plate with four RBI's, while Kachur was 2-for-4, scoring three times. Kramer pitched the entire game, scattering four hits and allowing one earned run, striking out eight.

The 'Dons return to action in the Lobo Classic on Saturday, February 16, when the squad faces off against Bradley at 5:45 p.m. EST, and Central Michigan at 8 p.m. EST.

~ Feel the Rumble ~