Purdue Northwest's Historic Season Ends in CCAC Semis
The Purdue University Northwest men’s tennis team saw their season come to an end as the Pride fell to in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Semifinals to No. 10 Cardinal Stritch on Friday.
The No. 1 seed Wolves (16-5) defeated the No. 5 seed Pride (11-7), 6-0, at North Shore Elite Tennis Club in Glendale, Wis. Friday.
PNW saw their record season come to an end Friday in the CCAC Semifinals which had PNW set a team record for wins in a season with 11.
With the win, Stritch advances to the CCAC Championship to take on Olivet Nazarene tomorrow.
Cardinal Stritch started the match sweeping doubles competition against PNW. Diego Pimentel (Guayaquil, Ecuador) and Jonluke Passett (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandberg) were able to win three gaems at No. 2 doubles but fell to Stritch's William East and Gian Pico, 8-3. Maurico Villacres (Guayaquil, Ecuador) and John Mamelson (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) won a game at No. 3 doubles but Stritch's Caio Barros and Agustin Gascia were too much at No. 3 doubles winning 8-1.
Later in the match, Pimentel fought hard at No. 4 singles, picking up a pair of games in the first set and winning four games in the second set but fell to Stritch's Pico. Villacres put up a fight at No. 3 singles but ended up falling to Stritch's Agustin Gascia, 6-1, 6-4.
No. 1, No. 2, No. 5 singles were not able to finish their matches due to Stritch already clinching the victory.
Purdue Northwest Sunday Games with Indiana Tech Canceled Purdue University Northwest softball's originally scheduled Sunday home games with Indiana Tech have been canceled due to inclement weather.
The games will not be made up.
The Pride (28-22-1) concluded their regular season Friday with a two-game sweep over West Virginia Tech, topping the Golden Bears by scores of 8-0 and 1-0. PNW will take the No. 4 seed into Thursday's Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament at The Ballpark in Rosemont, Ill.
The Pride will open the double-elimination tournament with a noon CT game against fifth-seeded St. Ambrose (Iowa). More information on the tournament to follow.
Purdue Northwest Falls to #10 Stritch in CCAC Semifinals The Purdue University Northwest women’s tennis team's season ended with a loss in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Semifinals to No. 10 Cardinal Stritch Friday.
The Wolves (10-6) defeated the Pride (8-8), 6-0, at North Shore Elite Tennis Club in Glendale, Wis. Friday.
With the win, Stritch advances to the CCAC Championship to take on Olivet Nazarene tomorrow.
Stella Evers (Aurich, Germany) was able to take a game in the second set but Stritch's Alexi Loomis was too much at No. 2 singles as Loomis won, 6-0, 6-1. The duo of Tatiana Spak (Hobart, Ind./Hobart) and Chloe Conaway (Highland, Ind./Highland) picked up a game at No. 3 doubles but fell to Stritch's Natalie Grieve and Jitsupa Sirinit, 8-1.
No. 1, No. 3, No. 4 singles all did not play due to Stritch already clinching the victory.
Women's Golf Finishes Sixth at CCAC Championships The Purdue University Northwest women’s golf team finished off the two-day Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships in sixth place out of the ten-team field with a combined score of 771 at the Flossmoor Country Club.
Lauren Bailey (Wanatah, Ind./Lacrosse) had an impressive outing in the championships, combining for a score of 175, which was good for a T-6 place finish in the 48-person field.
PNW freshman Darian Smith (Muskegon, Mich./Mona Shores) finished second on the Pride a 28th place finish while Meaghan Spalla (Crown Point, Ind./Boone Grove) recorded a 102 in the final round and finished 30th overall.
Rachel Pennington (Circleville, Ohio/Logan Elm) took nine strokes off her first round score and placed 37th with Jenna Gericke (Highland, Ind./Highland) rounding out the Black and Gold with a T38 finish.
Cardinal Stritch won the event with a total team score of 674, with Olivet Nazarene finishing second (687) and Saint Xavier finishing third with a score of (710).
This marks the women’s golf program’s first CCAC Championship event, as the Pride completed their inaugural season on Friday.
Purdue Northwest Sweeps WVU Tech on Senior Day The Purdue University Northwest softball team made Senior Day a two-game sweep over visiting West Virginia Tech Friday, topping the Golden Bears by scores of 8-0 and 1-0 at Dowling Park’s Fifth Third Bank Field.
The Pride (28-21-1) used a big six-run, sixth inning to propel them to a five-inning mercy-rule win in Game 1, before senior Hannah Lopez (Granada Hills, Calif./Bishop Alemany) connected for the game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh of Game 2 to give PNW the walk-off victory.
Between games, PNW honored its eight seniors: Caroline Brown, Haley Loden, Hannah Lopez, Allyson Leach, Audrey Headley, Emily Cole, Leslie Ford, and Samantha Oppenhuis.
PNW is set to return to action Sunday, when the Pride host nonleague opponent Indiana Tech in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. The Pride have already completed Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play and have locked up the fourth seed heading into the league tournament, set to begin Thursday in at the Ballpark in Rosemont, Ill.
PNW will most likely face fifth-seed St. Ambrose (31-16, 14-10) in the first round, with times yet to be announced.
GAME 1: PNW 8, WVU TECH 0 (5 innings) Senior Haley Loden (Crown Point, Ind./Lake Central) went a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs scored and and RBI and junior Kyleigh Payne (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bishop McNamara) was 1-for-3 with a two-RBI, walk-off triple in the fifth Pride hitters in Game 1.
PNW totaled 12 hits — including two more from Holly Pagan (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) and three from Taylor Kotzo (Munster, Ind./Munster) — which proved to be more than enough for senior starter Audrey Headley (Lafayette, Ind./McCutcheon), who picked up her fifth win of the year.
Headley threw five innings and allowed just four hits, struck out two and walked one in her third straight win.
The game stood scoreless until the fourth, when PNW scored six runs — mostly on infield hits with runners on the bases — to break it open. Kotzo, Loden, Payne, Pagan, Tessa Steffens (Litchfield, Ill./Litchfield) and Samantha Oppenhuis (Munster, Ind./Illiana Christian) all tallied RBIs in the fourth for PNW.
Payne would then finish it off in the fifth with a base-clearing triple to give PNW the walk-off win.
GAME 2: PNW 1, WVU Tech 0 Hannah Lopez connected for a sacrifice fly with a runner on third to give the Pride its second walk-off win of the day in Game 2.
After both teams headed into the seventh inning in a scoreless tie, junior Alex Morales (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) opened the bottom of the frame with a single through the left side. Allyson Leach (Demotte, Ind./North Newton) then reached on an error to push Morales to third base to set up Lopez for the game-winning run.
PNW senior Caroline Brown (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) picked up her fifth shut out of the season and her 14th win of the year, allowing just two hits, striking out two and didn’t walk a batter in another stellar effort.
PNW totaled just four hits in Game 2, as Loden, Payne, Morales and Leach all reached safely, with Payne recording another triple.
PNW Earns Pair of Victories over St. Francis The Purdue University Northwest baseball team picked up a pair of key victories over Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference opponent St. Francis (Ill.) Friday afternoon.
The Pride (28-16, 19-7 CCAC) picked up a 3-2 victory in the opening game thanks to Tyler Crussen (Wheeler, Ind./Wheeler) who crushed a ball in the right center gap to give the Pride the victory.
In Game 2, Josh Arnold (Lowell, Ind./Lowell) shutdown the Fighting Saints (29-23, 14-12 CCAC) with a complete game shutout, blanking USF, 2-0.
PNW has one more game left in the regular season, with one nine-inning game against USF in Joliet, Ill on Sunday, April 30, starting at 1 p.m. (CT).
GAME 1: PNW 3, USF 2 St. Francis would strike first in the third inning to go up 1-0, but the Pride would even the score in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI-single by Luke Schmidt (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South).
After the Fighting Saints took a 2-1 advantage heading in to the seventh inning, the Pride continued to fight with just two outs to go.
Schmidt would start off the inning with a single, followed by a pinch-hit walk by Tyler Kenjic (Hobart, Ind./Hobart) which set the table for Crussen who ended the game on a frozen rope to the right center gap to seal the victory.
Senior Matt Sandoval (Highland, Ind./Bishop Noll) got the no-decision after pitching 5.2 innings and allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven.
Brody Kutch (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) continued his dominance in the bullpen, allowing just one hit in 1.1 innings of relief while earning his third win of the season.
GAME 2: PNW 2, USF 0 The game was scoreless til the bottom of the fifth inning, when Crussen continued his dominance at the plate with a sacrifice fly which plated Alex Batistatos (Hobart, Ind./Hobart).
PNW would score what would be the final run of the game thanks to an RBI-single to left field that brought in Jake Lindeman (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point).
Arnold was dominant all game long, allowing just four hits in nine innings of work while striking out three.
Purdue Northwest Home Finale Moved to Friday The Purdue University Northwest baseball team will host St. Francis (Ill.) for a doubleheader at Dowling Park Friday before traveling to Silver Cross Field for one-nine inning game Sunday for a huge key three-game series this weekend.
The Fighting Saints (29-21, 14-10) will take on the Pride (26-16, 17-7 CCAC) for a doubleheader at Albert's Diamonds Jewelers Field starting at 1 p.m. (CT) Friday -- in games originally scheduled for Saturday -- before traveling to Silver Cross Field for one-inning game at 1 p.m. (CT) on Sunday to end the regular season.
The games were moved to Friday due to impending weather concerns.
PNW currently stands in tied for second place in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference South Division, standing one game behind leader Olivet Nazarene. Olivet Nazarene has a three-game series against Trinity Christian College this weekend. The Tigers own the tiebreaker over the Pride as ONU won all three games earlier this season.
SENIOR DAY Friday will also be the Pride's senior day, as PNW honors its seven seniors prior to the contest: Matt Sandoval, Tyler Crussen, Brody Kutch, Andy Kovarik, Jake Lindeman, Cody Moskovsky, and Luke Schmidt.
LAST TIME OUT PNW is coming off a doubleheader split on Wednesday’s with Judson University. Jimmy Skiff (Dyer, Ind./Andrean) pitched a complete game for the Pride, suffering the tough luck loss, throwing 6 innings while striking out four.
Fabian Del Real (Calumet City, Ill./T.F. North) picked up his fourth win of the season after throwing five innings and allowing just one run on five hits with five strikeouts. Matt Sandoval (Highland, Ind./Bishop Noll) would enter the game in relief and throw two innings with two strikeouts while Brody Kutch (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) earned his fifth save of the year throwing two scoreless frames.
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING SAINTS (Plays Thursday) USF is coming off one-nine inning game against NCAA Division II Lewis University on April 27. The Fighting Saints are led by Kevin Mampe at the plate, who is hitting .313, 46 hits, 33 runs, 12 doubles, three home runs and 28 RBI. On the mound, USF is led by John Riordan, who is 6-1 with a 2.79 ERA with 30 strikeouts.
PRIDE LEADERS The Pride are led at the plate by Larry Crisler (Gary, Ind./Bishop Noll), who is hitting .357, with 50 hits, two home runs and 25 RBI. On the mound, PNW is led by Matt Sandoval who owns an 8-1 record with a 1.30 ERA, two saves and 59 strikeouts in 55.1 innings pitched.
SERIES HISTORY With the merger of the Purdue Calumet and Purdue North Central athletic programs, this will be the first meeting with the newly formed Purdue Northwest baseball team and St. Francis (Ill.)
LIVE LOOK Live stats and audio (weather permitting) for Saturday's doubleheader will be provided by the Pride Sports Network at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/pnw/
Live video will be provided by USF for Sunday's one-nine inning game at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClYG5d5T0QHpqk0Y87Kp7Rw/live; Live stats will also be available provided by USF at http://live.gofightingsaints.com/bb/xlive.htm
DOWLING PARK INFO Visit our Faciltiies Page for detailed info, including our Visitor's Guide (PDF): Visitors Guide
Fifth Third Bank field is located just east of Kennedy Avenue and north of Interstate 90/94, off J.F. Mahoney Drive, just west of the Jean Shephard Community Center located at 3031 J.F. Mahoney Dr, Hammond, IN 46323. Fans are asked to park in the main Dowling Park parking lot, located off 175th Street, behind Faith United Church of Christ (3030 175th Street). The lot is also available from J.F. Mahoney Drive, via a drive between the softball field outfield and Jean Shephard Community Center.
Handicap parking is available.
Visiting team buses are asked to park in the Hammond F.OP. parking lot, located at 7527 Kennedy Ave, and drivers and teams may enter the park from the North Gate, located near the baseball stadium's left field line.
NOTE: Parking is prohibited along 175th Street or in the Jean Shephard Center lots. Officials/Referee Parking is located in the North Lot.
NOTE: Animals are NOT allowed anywhere at Dowling Park.
ADMISSION Admission is $6 for adults (18 and up) and $4 for children (ages 4-17) each day. PNW students with valid ID are free. Cash only accepted at the ticket window.
SEASON TICKETS Season Tickets are now on sale for the 2017 Purdue University Northwest baseball and softball seasons at Dowling Park.
Season ticket packages start at, $25 for kids, $40 for adults and $45 for family adult passes. General admission to all home Purdue Northwest softball and baseball games is $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 4-17. Children 3 and under are free.
All PNW students with valid ID are also free, cash only please.
To order online, check out our Season Ticket Store at https://secure.touchnet.net/C27592_ustores/web/store_cat.jsp?STOREID=19&CATID=17&SINGLESTORE=true
Lauren Bailey in 5th to Lead Purdue Northwest on Day 1 at CCACs Lauren Bailey stands tied for fifth with a first round 85 and the Purdue Univeristy Northwest women’s golf team is currently in sixth place after 18 holes of the two-day Chicagoland Collegiate Atheltic Conference Championships Thursday at Flossmoor Country Club.
Bailey (Wanatah, Ind./Lacrosse) is just six strokes off leader Hannah Stradling of Cardinal Stritch, who carded the lone score under 80 with a 79 (+6) in the 47-golfer field. The Pride recorded a team score of 378 for sixth place in the 10-team field, with the final round set to begin Friday morning in Flossmoor, Ill.
PNW freshmen Darian Smith (Muskegon, Mich./Mona Shores) and Meaghan Spalla (Crown Point, Ind./Boone Grove) both shot identical 94s to stand tied for 17th place and Jenna Gericke (Highland, Ind./Highland) recorded a 105 – one stroke off her career-best – to round out the Pride team score.
Rachel Pennington (Circleville, Ohio/Logan Elm) completed PNW’s competitors with a 115.
Cardinal Stritch led the field after Day 1 with a 347 (+55), Olivet Nazarene was second (554) and St. Xavier third with a 366.
This marks the women’s golf program’s first CCAC Championship event, as the Pride complete their inaugural season in 2016-17.
