March 8, 2008

Box Score

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Loyola University Chicago (5-10) closed out its spring trip to California by splitting a doubleheader at UC Santa Barbara (10-11) today, dropping game one, 10-2 in six innings, before rebounding for a 3-0 victory in the nightcap. In game two, sophomore right-hander Amy Solava hurled her second consecutive shutout, scattering six hits while striking out five.

The Ramblers staked themselves to an early two-run lead in the opener as Kat Krause belted a lead-off home run and Ellen Kresl scored on an error to give the visitors a 2-0 lead after a half inning of play. UC Santa Barbara broke the game open in the bottom of the second, scoring seven runs on only four hits, then added an insurance run in the sixth inning to seal the victory.

Kresl continued her torrid hitting by going 2 for 3 with a run scored in game one.

In the nightcap, the Ramblers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Nora Schober, who had led off the inning by reaching on an error, scored on a Gaucho misplay in the field. The Ramblers added a run in the third on Kresl's RBI single, which plated pinch-runner Kaycee Tharp, and Loyola closed out the scoring with a single run in the sixth courtesy of Schober's RBI base hit that scored Kresl.

Solava was dominant in the circle for the second straight outing, going the distance en route to her second straight shutout. Kresl went 2 for 3 with a run and a RBI, while Solava also helped her cause at the plate with a pair of hits.

Loyola is off until March 21 when it opens Horizon League play with a doubleheader at Butler.