Detroit vs. IPFW Game 1 Stats (HTML)

Detroit vs. IPFW Game 2 Stats (HTML)

After struggling offensively en route to an 8-0 game one loss, the Titans took the field a different team in game two of Tuesday's doubleheader against IPFW, rebounding to top the Mastodons, 1-0, behind a seven-inning shutout from sophomore Kara Spinelli (Newman, CA/Orestimba) in the nightcap.

UDM (3-29) was unable to produce any offense in game one, as the Titans were held hitless by IPFW (23-12) pitcher Courtney Cronin, reaching base only once as junior second baseman Stefanie Morong (Ludington, MI/Mason County Central) drew a walk to leadoff the fourth inning.

But Detroit regrouped between games and came out a different team. In both the first and second innings, Spinelli recorded the first two outs with ease before the Mastodons put two runners on base. However, the sophomore worked her way out of both situations, coaxing a groundball to the shortstop to end the first and a pop-up back to the circle to end the second. Spinelli then made quick work of IPFW in the next two frames, allowing just one base runner.

UDM, meanwhile, went down in order in the first two innings before the offense showed some signs of life. Sophomore Melissa Barrett (Taylor, MI/Kennedy) tallied the first Titan hit of the day with two outs in the third, blooping a single just out of the shortstop's reach. Next at the plate, Morong took one for the team to move Barrett up a base, but the IPFW pitcher Rachel Staschuk got a strike out to end the threat.

In the fourth, senior catcher Erica Houthoofd (Unionville, MI/Unionville-Sebewaing Area) just missed putting one over the fence in right-center field and was thrown out while attempting to advance to third on the play. But in the top of the fifth frame the Titans finally put one up on the board. Freshman Katie Schaus (Unionville, MI/Unionville-Sebewaing Area) put a sharply hit groundball right on the left field line, and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Spinelli. With two outs, sophomore pinch-runner Krissy Pitock (Carleton, MI/Carleton-Airport) stood at second as Barrett made her way back up to the plate and lined a single into the gap in right center to drive in the game-winning run. 

The Mastodons threatened in the sixth, starting the inning with back-to-back singles, but Spinelli responded with runners on first and second and no outs to retire the next three batters in a row.

Schaus recorded her second hit of the game, a double to center, in the top of the seventh as Detroit attempted to add an insurance run, but a pair of groundouts stranded her at second. IPFW got a leadoff single in their last at-bat, but Spinelli recorded a strikeout and got the final batter to fly out to left to end the game.

“The difference between the games was focus, and they decided they were going to come out and play some serious softball,” said head coach Sunny Jones. “Kara Spinelli through a magnificent game, she did a wonderful job of throwing the umpire's strike zone and throw to the batter's position and not just to the plate.

“And the final part of the equation was that we had timely, which we've struggled with getting, from both Katie Schaus and Melissa Barrett.”

Spinelli scattered six hits in seven innings in the win, her first of the season, while striking out three. The shutout was also the first recorded by the Titans this season. Barrett and Schaus led the offensive charge with a pair of hits each.

The Titans will look to keep momentum on their side on Thursday as they host cross-town foe Wayne State for a twin bill at Buysse Ballpark slated to start at 4:00 p.m.