IPFW Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Oakland

Tuesday, May 14

Rochester, Mich.

1:00 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

22-27, 9-16

Oakland

15-33, 10-13

IPFW

Oakland

Photo by: Lucas Carter

5/14/2013 5:21:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game One Box

Game Two Box

ROCHESTER, Mich. – The IPFW baseball team defeated Oakland in game one of Tuesday's doubleheader, but Oakland came back to record an 11-1 victory in the nightcap. IPFW now enters the final series of the regular season with an overall record of 22-28.

IPFW recorded three hits in the top of the first inning in game one to open up a 2-0 lead. Brandon Soat recorded the first hit of the game with a single through the right side of the infield. He came around to score the first run of the game off a fielder's choice from Clay Hathaway.

Kristian Gayday scored the second run of the inning as he reached base after drawing a walk. Gayday advanced into scoring position after a single from Steve Lowden, and Hathaway's fielder's choice moved him to third base. Freshman Kendall Whitman came up with a clutch two-out single to centerfield which allowed Gayday to score the second run of the game.

The Mastodons didn't let up as they pushed four more runs across the plate in the second inning. Back-to-back singles from Lucas Salerno and Malcolm White jumpstarted the inning and Salerno made it home after an RBI double from Soat. Gayday doubled after Soat which sent White and Soat to the dish. Gayday scored the final run of the inning off an RBI single from Lowden.

Oakland scored three unanswered runs with one in the second and two more in the third to cut the lead to 6-3. IPFW added a run in the fourth as Hathaway homered to left field giving the 'Dons a four-run cushion.

The Golden Grizzlies scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, but IPFW played small ball to match them in the top of the seventh. Fenimore singled and Salerno followed in the lineup with a walk. White executed the sacrifice bunt down the third base line and a sacrifice fly from Soat made the score 8-4.

The final score would end at 8-5 as the Golden Grizzlies added a run in the bottom of seventh. Lawhead earned the win on the mound, but he would eventually be replaced by Connor McLaughlin who recorded his third save of the season.

Lawhead retired one batter on strikes in the seventh inning, but it was McLaughlin who shut the door on the Grizzlies. The bases were loaded in the bottom of the inning after a walk, but McLaughlin recorded the strikeout to give IPFW the victory.

Brandon Soat went 3-for-4 with two RBI's and two runs scored in the opener. The top of the lineup was great in game one as the top three hitters recorded two hits or more.

IPFW scored first in game two, but Oakland dominated from that point on as the Golden Grizzlies scored four in the third, two in the fifth, sixth and seventh and also tagged IPFW for one run in the eighth as they cruised to an 11-1 win.

Malcolm White went 2-for-4 for IPFW while also scoring the team's lone run of the game. He led off with a double to right center and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. A passed ball allowed White to score an unearned run with Lowden at bat.

Kyle Sorensen got the start was was hit with the loss on the mound. He gave up four earned runs in 2.2 innings and now is 2-1 overall on the hill. Danny Tursell and Evan VanSumeren were also in action as it marked the debut of VanSumeren as a pitcher. The freshman has played the outfield and has also has served as the team's designated hitter. He tossed the final 2.1 innings of the game and surrendered nine hits which turned into five runs.

Tursell provided IPFW with some middle relief by also tossing 2.1 innings. He limited Oakland to just three hits while striking out four.

~ Feel the Rumble ~