April 9, 2006

Box Score

CHICAGO - Loyola University Chicago (9-27, 4-4 Horizon) managed only two hits off of starting pitcher Grace Luginbuhl in a 7-0 loss to Cleveland State (19-7, 4-2 Horizon) this afternoon at Loyola Softball Park. The loss was only the Ramblers' third in the last 13 games versus the Vikings in Rogers Park.

Cleveland State put the Ramblers behind the eight ball early, scoring five runs in the first three innings to take a 5-0 lead. In the top of the first, Christa Coppus' single to right field scored leadoff hitter Whitney Willard, who had led off the inning with an infield single. After the Vikings added a run in the second, they tacked on three more runs in the third, with the big blow being a two-run homer off the bat of catcher J.J. Thornberry.

Loyola's offense was stymied by Luginbuhl, who held the Ramblers hitless for the first 4.1 innings before shortstop Kat Krause ripped a single to left field. Loyola managed only one other hit on the day, a seventh-inning single up the middle, by left fielder Katie Duffy.

The Ramblers embark on a busy week when they travel to Purdue for a doubleheader on April 11. Those games are the first of six contests for Loyola next week.