April 5, 2009

Box Score

CHICAGO - Alexandra Trudnich hit a walk-off home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning and cap a late rally as Loyola University Chicago (16-12, 4-2 Horizon) defeated Valparaiso (18-13, 4-5 Horizon), 3-2 this afternoon and a windy and cold Loyola Softball Park. The Ramblers improve to 16-2 this season when scoring three or more runs.

Valparaiso plated a pair of runs in the top of the first inning on a RB double from Kelsey Phalen and a sacrifice fly from Ashley Wolter to take an early 2-0 lead. From there however, Loyola right-hander Amy Solava settled down and allowed only three hits the rest of the contest.

Loyola was unable to generate much offense against Crusaders starter Sam McGee until the fifth inning, when pinch hitter Jacqueline Grim singled home Trudnich to slice the deficit in half. The Ramblers tied it in the sixth when Haley Ambrosch reached on a two-out single and later scored on Jenna Grim's double down the left field line.

Trudnich walloped her second career home run just inside the foul pole down the left field line to lift the Ramblers to their second straight win.

Ambrosch finished the day a perfect 3-for-3 to lead the Loyola offense, while Trudnich scored a pair of runs. Solava was solid in the circle, scattering five hits and striking out four en route to the complete-game victory.

Loyola is back in action when it hosts a rare mid-week Horizon League series against Green Bay, beginning with a doubleheader Tuesday, April 7.