April 3, 2012

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CHICAGO - Loyola University Chicago (10-14) entered today's game just 1-25-1 against city rival DePaul (18-12) since the start of the 1996 season, but the Ramblers got a strong effort from sophomore lefthander Brittany Gardner, who allowed only three hits, in a 1-0 victory over the Blue Demons this afternoon at a chilly Loyola Softball Park. The win is Loyola's first against DePaul since 2007 and improves the Ramblers to 3-0 at home this season.

In a pitcher's duel between Gardner and DePaul's Kirsten Verdun, who prior to the contest was hailed as the USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week, both teams had scoring opportunities early, but both pitchers showed their mettle by bearing down and avoiding any damage by either offense.

Loyola had runners at first and second with just one out in the bottom of the first, but Verdun slipped out of the jam by getting Annie Korth to line into a double play. One inning later, the Blue Demons loaded the bases with no outs, but Gardner did her best Houdini impersonation, striking out Paige Peterson and Brittany Boezel before getting Bree Brown to pop out to slam the door on the rally.

The Ramblers also let prime scoring chances slip through the cracks in both the third and fourth innings, leaving two runners on in the third before loading the bases with only one out in the fourth, only to fail to break through against Verdun.

Finally in the fifth inning, Loyola got the big hit it had been seeking all game. Korth's two-out walk got the rally started and one batter later, Lauren Zaworski, who has produced as many clutch hits as any Rambler in the last two weeks, delivered yet again this time crushing a double to right field that sent Korth scurrying around the bases to give Loyola a 1-0 lead.

After Gardner retired the Demons in order in the sixth, things got a bit dicey for Loyola in the top of the seventh. Peterson led off with a single and moved to second on an error, giving DePaul a runner in scoring position. However, Gardner maintained her poise and after Boesel's sacrifice bunt pushed Peterson over to third, the 2011 First Team All-Horizon League selection got Brown to hit a sharp grounder to second baseman Jessica Balzano, who fired home to nab Peterson for the second out, and Allie Braden's pop out to short sealed the outcome for Loyola.

Zaworski recorded two of Loyola's six hits against Verdun and the sophomore first baseman has now driven in eight runs in the last seven contests. Meanwhile, Gardner rebounded from a rough outing at Butler last Saturday to toss a three-hit shutout, striking out five and walking just one, to earn her team-leading sixth win of the season.

Loyola continues a 12-game homestand tomorrow when it hosts a doubleheader against Wisconsin at 3 p.m.