Purdue Fort Wayne
1-24, 1-3
Western Illinois
9-12, 0-4
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Biere, Kaitlyn (1-12)
L: Kacyee Hart (4-5)
Batting:
HR: Lia Romeo 1
RBI: Teagan Walsh 1 ; Tierney Bottino 1 ; Lia Romeo 2
SH: Tierney Bottino 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sammy Marshall 2 ; Teagan Walsh 1 ; Lia Romeo 1
SB: Sammy Marshall 1 ; Nina Maggio 1
CS: Sammy Marshall 1
HBP: Lia Romeo 2
Batting:
2B: Gordy Prescott, Taylor 1
HR: DeLong, Caitlyn 1
RBI: Balthazor, Jenna 1 ; Gordy Prescott, Taylor 1 ; Olszewski, Emily 1 ; Nelson, Avery 1 ; DeLong, Caitlyn 1 ; Ennis, Whitney 1
SH: Gordy Prescott, Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Balthazor, Jenna 1 ; Gordy Prescott, Taylor 1 ; Olszewski, Emily 1 ; Gukeisen, Hailey 1 ; DeLong, Caitlyn 1 ; Marion, Miranda 1
SB: Olszewski, Emily 2
CS: Burke, Lindsay 1
HBP: Ennis, Whitney 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
DeLong Goes Yard as Mastodons Win Home Opener
3/29/2015 8:05:00 PM | Softball
All nine Mastodon starters collected a hit in the victory, as the 'Dons finished with a season-high six runs and 11 hits. Six different IPFW players drove in all six runs. Jenna Balthazor was a perfect 2 for 2 with two walks, while adding an RBI and a run scored. In her first game back from injury, Miranda Marion finished 2 for 3. Caitlyn DeLong launched her second home run of the season, a solo shot in the fourth.
The Leathernecks took an early 2-0 lead after scoring runs in the top of the first and third innings. The Mastodons responded in the bottom of the third by tying the game. With two outs in the inning, Balthazor drew a walk and Taylor Gordy Prescott followed with an RBI double. Gordy Prescott came around to score on an Emily Olszewski single up the middle.
With one out in the fourth, DeLong deposited a 2-1 pitch over the left field fence. The 'Dons loaded the bases in the inning but were unable to bring home another run.
IPFW broke the game open in the fifth as all nine batters came to the plate. Olszewski led off the inning with a walk. She promptly stole second and went to third on a throwing error by the WIU catcher. One out later Avery Nelson singled to center scoring Olszewski. After a walk to DeLong, Marion singled to load the bases. Pinch runner Haley Gukeisen came home when a 3-2 pitch hit Whitney Ennis. A force play cut down DeLong a home, but Balthazor's second walk of the game brought in Marion to cap off the scoring.
Western Illinois attempted a comeback in the top of the seventh. An IPFW error led off the inning, but Ennis gunned down WIU's Sammy Marshall attempting to steal second. It was just the second time Marshall, the league's leader in stolen bases, had been caught stealing this season in 20 attempts. Following a single and a pop out, the Leathernecks got a two-run home run off the bat of Lia Rameo. The next batter hit a line drive right at Balthazor who was able to snag it to give the 'Dons their first victory of the season.
Kaitlyn Biere picked up the complete game victory in the circle for the Mastodons. Biere allowed three earned runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking none.
The two teams will wrap up their Summit League series with a doubleheader on March 30 beginning at noon.
