April 6, 2013

Box Score

CHICAGO - Picking up where it left off in game one, Loyola belted four home runs and earned a sweep of today's doubleheader with a 9-1 (5 innings) win over Valparaiso in game two this afternoon at Loyola Softball Park. The Ramblers improve to 15-12 (3-2 Horizon) while the Crusaders dip to 20-14 (5-3).

Loyola started early, getting to Valpo starter Sierra Pico in the first inning. Brooke Andresen led off the game with a walk and, after a fielders choice, Lauren Moore popped a home run to center field to put the Ramblers on top. Tarran Shaffer and Hannah Jenkins both added RBI-singles in the inning as the Ramblers batted around and scored four times, chasing Pico in the process.

Valpo put the lead-off batter on in each of the next two innings but Amanda Ciran was able to keep the visitors off the scoreboard. She was not as lucky in the fourth, as the Crusaders were able to get on the board courtesy of a two-out, RBI-single from Lindsey Norway.

However, Valparaiso's momentum was short-lived as Loyola essentially put the game away in the bottom half of the inning. An Andresen solo shot made it 5-1 and, after an error, Moore slugged her second homer of the game to give the Ramblers a 7-1 advantage.

Ciran put up a zero in the visitors half of the fifth and LU was able to put the game away in the home half. After a fly out, Annie Korth singled up the middle and Andresen ended the game with her second homer of the game and fourth of the season.

Moore finished game two 3-for-3 and her two homers give her nine on the season. Andresen was 2-for-2 with the two home runs and three RBI.

Ciran was solid in the circle, allowing just three hits and the one run while striking out six to improve to 3-1 on the year.

The teams wrap up their three-game series with a single game tomorrow beginning at Noon.