'Dons Go Dancing: IPFW Wins Summit Softball Title

Saturday, May 11

Fargo, N.D.

2 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

33-14

North Dakota State

33-15

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
North Dakota State	0	0	2	5	0	0	0	7	7	1
IPFW	0	0	0	1	0	0	3	4	8	0

Photo by: Dennis Hubbard

'Dons Go Dancing: IPFW Wins Summit Softball Title

5/11/2013 8:04:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE

FARGO, N.D. - A three-run sixth inning, capped off by a Brittany Kachur bases-loaded walk, propelled the IPFW Mastodon softball team into its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, as the Mastodons topped North Dakota State 7-4 in the Summit League Tournament.

IPFW (34-14) will find out its opponent, and location of the games for the NCAA Regional, on Sunday night at 10 p.m. in the NCAA Selection Show, which will be aired on ESPNU.

The Mastodons, which fell in the first game of the day, was led by Tournament MVP Ashleigh Bousquet who hit two home runs and batted .667 for the day, scoring three times. Megan Flenniken picked up the win for the Mastodons in the second game, striking out 15 batters on the day in 10.2 innings of work, walking one.

Alex Bousquet, Miranda Kramer, Megan Flenniken, and Audrey Mintari were each also named to the All-Tournament Team, along with MVP Ashleigh Bousquet.

With the Championship victory, IPFW head coach Amy Tudor moves past former coach Keith Fisher into the school wins record, now with 135 wins against just 62 losses for a percentage of .685, also a program-best. Ashleigh Bousquet also became the program's all-time hits and total bases in the final game of the weekend, widening her lead in the career marks in RBI's.

In the opening game, a 7-4 North Dakota State (33-16) win, the Bison scored twice in the top of the third inning, before scoring five times in the top of the fourth to jump ahead 7-0.

The 'Dons got a run back in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff home run from Dani Pugh, and added three more in the bottom of the seventh, the first when Ashleigh Bousquet hit a bases-loaded single to score Prestlee Cooper, as Dani Pugh drew a walk to push Alex Bousquet across the plate. The final run came when Larissa Franklin scored on a wild pitch, cutting the gap to three at 7-4; however, could not score again, falling by three, and forcing a second championship game.

Alex Bousquet was 2-for-3 in the game, with a run scored, as Kayti Hanson was also 2-for-3. Pugh drove in two with the home run and bases-loaded walk, as Kramer picked up the loss, pitching the first three and a third inning, striking out seven, but giving up four hits and five earned runs. Flenniken finished the final three and two-thirds of an inning, also striking out seven, while giving up three hits and two runs.

The second game started with the Bison jumping out to a 2-0 lead with back-to-back home runs from Alyssa Reina and Cheyenne Garcia to open the game. The Mastodons carried over their offensive momentum from the end of the first game and carried it over into the second, starting with a leadoff triple off the bat of Hanson. Alex Bousquet followed with a single to left field to score the Mastodon second baseman, before scoring on her twin sister's home run to center field, giving the 'Dons a 3-2 lead.

North Dakota State added one run in the fourth to tie the score at three, and added another in the fifth to take a one-run, 4-3 lead.

Trailing by a run, the Mastodons got back-to-back singles from Ashleigh Bousquet and Pugh, before freshman Hillary Kartman singled to knot the score, driving home Bousquet and tying the score at four runs apiece. A walk to Flenniken loaded the bases with one out, before Kachur drew a bases-loaded walk to put the 'Dons ahead 5-4. After a swining strikeout, a single by Alex Bousquet gave the 'Dons a two-run cushion, putting the score at 6-4.

Ashleigh Bousquet gave IPFW an addition insurance run in the top of the seventh with a leadoff home run, as the Bison were only able to get a baserunner aboard on a walk, as Flenniken struck out her last batter as the Mastodons rushed the field in celebration of their first conference tournament title.

Ashleigh Bousquet was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, with a pair of home runs, three runs scored and three runs driven in, while Alex Bousquet was 3-for-4, driving in two. Flenniken recorded all 21 of the team's outs in the circle, striking out eight in a long relief effort, as Kramer faced just one batter in the game.

~ Feel the Rumble ~