March 4, 2009

Box Score

ORLANDO - Krista Crosson allowed one earned run and struck out eight and Angie Funston and Jenna Grim hit solo home runs to propel Loyola University Chicago (4-2) to a come-from-behind 4-2 victory over Western Michigan (4-6) this afternoon at the UCF Softball Complex. Loyola has won three straight games and scored a total of 20 runs in that stretch.

Western Michigan forced Loyola to rally for the victory as the Broncos scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning on Meghan Thomas' two-run single with one out. Crosson wiggled her way out of further trouble by stranding a pair of WMU runners on base in the first inning.

The game stayed that way until the top of the sixth inning, when Alexandra Trudnich led off with a walk and pinch runner Bridget Lally scored one batter later on Kristin Guska's triple to cut the Western Michigan lead in half.

Loyola staged a three-run rally in the top of the seventh inning as Funston led off with a solo home run to left center to tie the game at 2-2. One out later, Grim clubbed her first homer of the year, over the left field fence, to put the Ramblers on top by a run and Guska would add to that lead later in the inning when her double plated Ellen Kresl, who had reached on a single.

Crosson slammed the door on the Broncos in the bottom of the seventh, retiring the side in order to pick up her second win of the year.

Guska finished the game 2 for 3 with a pair of RBIs to lead the Loyola offense, while Kresl also knocked out a pair of hits.

Loyola faces Central Florida later this afternoon.