March 26, 2008

Box Score

CHICAGO - Loyola University Chicago (6-12) dropped a back-and-forth, 5-4 decision to Bradley (10-9) this evening at Loyola Softball Park in the Ramblers' 2008 home opener. Eight Ramblers recorded hits in the game, including a pair of home runs on a cool spring evening.

Bradley jumped on the board in the top of the first inning thanks to Amanda Clack's run-scoring single. That lead would be short-lived however, as Loyola stormed back in the bottom of the second and posted a pair of runs and take a 2-1 lead. Freshman Jenna Grim belted her second homer of the season, a solo shot, over the fence in left field to tie that game at 1-1. One out later, Lindsay O'Gean reached on a single, stole second and scored on Bridget Lally's single to center.

The Braves countered with two runs of their own in the top of the third to reclaim the lead, but Loyola stole momentum right back in the bottom half of the inning and tied the game at 3-3 on Nora Schober's seeing-eye RBI single down the right field line.

Kat Krause belted her team-leading fourth home run of the season to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning to give the Ramblers a 4-3 advantage. Bradley would not go quietly, and Jacqueline's Vitale's two-out single to right field tied the game in the top of the fifth.

The game remained deadlocked until the seventh inning when Lauren Meister delivered a single up the middle that was just out of the reach of a diving Lally, to give the Braves a 5-4 edge and winning pitcher Ashley Birdsong retired the Ramblers in order in the bottom of the seventh to earn her eighth victory of the year.

Seven Ramblers had hits on the day, including O'Gean, who went 2 for 3.

Loyola is back in action tomorrow when it travels to Big Ten rival Illinois for a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.