Thursday, May 8
Cleveland, Ohio
Noon
Purdue Fort Wayne
20-24
7
at
1
Cleveland State
22-20
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Purdue Fort Wayne
0
0
6
1
0
0
0
7
11
1
Cleveland State
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
6
2
The Mastodons celebrated their 7-1 win over Cleveland State (credit CSU Athletics)
Mastodon Softball Knocks Off No. 1 Cleveland State to Stay in Winners' Bracket
5/8/2025 4:36:00 PM | Softball
CLEVELAND - The Purdue Fort Wayne softball team blew out No. 1 seeded Cleveland State 7-1 on Thursday (May 8) to advance in winners' side of the Horizon League Championship bracket.
With the victory, Purdue Fort Wayne will play at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow (May 9) against Robert Morris.
The story of the game was Purdue Fort Wayne's massive third inning, when the Mastodons scored six runs against the Horizon League Pitcher of the Year Melissa Holzopfel.
Gwen McMenemy singled, then Grace Hollopeter bombed the second pitch she saw to left field. Hollopeter halted at second, but got waved around to home after the ball hit off the foul pole for a home run, putting the 'Dons up 2-0. Two outs later, Peckinpaugh singled, then Alexa Carter and Brooke Lickey drew walks. With bases loaded, Bailey Manos singled to score two, then McMenemy singled again to score another. This put the Mastodons up six before the Vikings even had their first hit of the game.
Alanah Jones carried a no-hitter through the fourth inning, but had it broken up with three singles in a row. CSU scored its only run of the contest on the third hit.
Jones reset from there, finishing the game with four strikeouts, one walk and just the one run. She earned her 15th win of the season, doubling her career total this year.
The Mastodons were not retired in order in any of the seven innings, racking up 11 hits and seven walks. Only one of the Mastodons' seven runs were unearned.
Hollopeter finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Manos was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Lickey drew three walks in her four plate appearances.
The Mastodons have not trailed in any of the 14 innings of the Horizon League Championship.
Purdue Fort Wayne earned its 20th victory of the season, its first 20-win season since 2014. This is also the first time that Purdue Fort Wayne has won two league tournament games since that 2014 season. The Mastodons are now 20-24.
Cleveland State fell to 22-20 and will play in the losers' side of the bracket.
With the victory, Purdue Fort Wayne will play at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow (May 9) against Robert Morris.
The story of the game was Purdue Fort Wayne's massive third inning, when the Mastodons scored six runs against the Horizon League Pitcher of the Year Melissa Holzopfel.
Gwen McMenemy singled, then Grace Hollopeter bombed the second pitch she saw to left field. Hollopeter halted at second, but got waved around to home after the ball hit off the foul pole for a home run, putting the 'Dons up 2-0. Two outs later, Peckinpaugh singled, then Alexa Carter and Brooke Lickey drew walks. With bases loaded, Bailey Manos singled to score two, then McMenemy singled again to score another. This put the Mastodons up six before the Vikings even had their first hit of the game.
Alanah Jones carried a no-hitter through the fourth inning, but had it broken up with three singles in a row. CSU scored its only run of the contest on the third hit.
Jones reset from there, finishing the game with four strikeouts, one walk and just the one run. She earned her 15th win of the season, doubling her career total this year.
The Mastodons were not retired in order in any of the seven innings, racking up 11 hits and seven walks. Only one of the Mastodons' seven runs were unearned.
Hollopeter finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Manos was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Lickey drew three walks in her four plate appearances.
The Mastodons have not trailed in any of the 14 innings of the Horizon League Championship.
Purdue Fort Wayne earned its 20th victory of the season, its first 20-win season since 2014. This is also the first time that Purdue Fort Wayne has won two league tournament games since that 2014 season. The Mastodons are now 20-24.
Cleveland State fell to 22-20 and will play in the losers' side of the bracket.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jones, Alanah (15-15)
L: Melissa Holzopfel (16-8)
Batting:
2B: Minton, McKenna 1
HR: Hollopeter, Grace 1
RBI: Manos, Bailey 1 ; Countryman, Tori 1 ; McMenemy, Gwen 1 ; Hollopeter, Grace 2 ; Zimpleman, Addison 1
SH: Countryman, Tori 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Manos, Bailey 1 ; McMenemy, Gwen 1 ; Hollopeter, Grace 1 ; Minton, McKenna 1 ; Peckinpaugh, Kennedy 1 ; Carter, Alexa 1 ; Lickey, Brooke 1
HBP: Manos, Bailey 1
Batting:
RBI: Emma Gilkerson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sydney Shammo 1
HBP: Brooke Albaugh 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C/UTL
/ Softball
C/UTL
/ Softball
RHP/OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballHuge Dubs!
Saturday, May 10
Mastodon Softball walks off NKU
Friday, April 25
Softball Win over IUPUI
Monday, April 15
Winning 'Dons are Happy 'Dons!
Sunday, February 25
