?Dons sweep Jacks in Sioux Falls

Saturday, April 2

Sioux Falls, S.D.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

IPFW

4/2/2011 9:00:00 PM | Softball

By: SDSU Sports Info

SIOUX FALLS - IPFW ran its win streak to five in a row with a Summit League doubleheader sweep of South Dakota State on Saturday at Sherman Park in Sioux Falls, as the Mastodons downed the Jackrabbits 12-5 in the opener and 6-4 in the night cap.

The sweep leaves the Jacks with a 7-21 overall record, and drops them to an even 4-4 in The Summit League. A preseason co-favorite to win the league title, IPFW improves to 15-8-1 overall and 7-4 in league play.

IPFW turned four first inning hits, four first inning walks and one SDSU error into five runs in the opening frame of the day to take a 5-0 lead. That lead turned into a 7-0 advantage with single runs in the second an third innings.

The Jackrabbit bats came alive in the fifth inning, when they got back into the game with five runs on six hits. Pinch running for Allison Huffman, who started the rally with a one-out double, Kelsey Waltz scored the first run of the inning on an Ashley Durazo single. Devon Reick followed with a single to the gap in left center that scored Emily Weber and Durazo, and then advanced all the way to third on the throw.

That brought up Tina Winter, who plated Reick with a triple and then scored herself on a Marlee Petersen single up the middle to get SDSU back into the game at 7-5.

The Mastodons came right back with three runs on three hits in the top of the sixth to go up 10-5, and then added two more in the seventh to secure the 12-5 win.

Kori Seidlitz took the Game 1 loss, giving up 12 runs, nine earned, on 10 hits with eight walks and three strikeouts. Durazo led the offense with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate with a run, RBI and a walk.

IPFW struck first in Game 2 as well, scoring two runs on three hits in the second, but the lead didn't last long, as the Jacks scored three in the second to go up 3-2, on a bases clearing triple by Durazo, her first two triples on the day.

The 'Dons retook the lead with two runs in the fourth to go up 4-3, only to see the Jacks tied it up a 4-all in the bottom of the fourth on Durazo's second three-bagger of the day that scored Pam Nicholson.

Still tied at four heading into the sixth, IPFW scored two runs on four hits to retake the lead for good, as the Jacks went down in order in both the sixth and seventh inning.

Nicholson went the distance for the Jacks in circle, giving up six runs on 13 hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Durazo again led the offense, going 2-for-4 at the plate and knocking in all four SDSU runs.

The Jacks look to salvage one game in the series finale on Sunday at Sherman Park in Sioux Falls at noon.