May 4, 2013
Box Score
CHICAGO - Kacie Rapshus' pinch-hit, three-run home run with two outs in the sixth inning gave visiting Wright State (17-33, 10-9 Horizon) a 5-3 victory over Loyola University Chicago (26-17, 14-5 Horizon) in game one of a doubleheader at Loyola Softball Park this afternoon. The loss is the Ramblers' first at home in conference play this season.
Things couldn't have started any better for Loyola, which plated three first-inning runs against Wright State starter Krystian DeWitt. Brooke Andresen drew a walk to open the inning and after Jessica Balzano reached base, Lauren Moore stroked a single up the middle to score Andresen and kick off the scoring. Andresen's run was the 115th of her career and moved her into a tie with Tara Miller for Loyola's all-time mark, and the senior shortstop already has set the school record for hits (211).
After Loyola hung two more runs on the board in the first, Wright State stormed right back and cut the lead down to one thanks to run-scoring singles by Kristi Boreing and Jess Gorman.
Loyola's bats went silent after the initial outburst in the opening inning and DeWitt retired 11 straight Ramblers until Andresen singled with two outs in the fifth. The Ramblers weren't able to capitalize on an opportunity to give starter Brittany Gardner some breathing room in the fifth, because after Andresen's single and a walk to Balzano, DeWitt got out of the inning without any damage.
In the sixth, a walk to Taylor Knore and a single by Reagan Stofcheck gave the Raiders a pair of baserunners, and with two outs and the go-ahead run in scoring position, Wright State coach Lynn Curylo called on Rapshus to hit for second baseman Angie Clark, who had struck out in each of her first two plate appearances.
Rapshus came up hacking and the junior deposited Gardner's first offering over the fence in left center to provide the Raiders with a 5-3 advantage.
Two-out singles in both the sixth and seventh innings brought the tying run to the plate for Loyola, but DeWitt was able to work out of trouble both times to preserve the lead.
Andresen went 2 for 3 to lead a Loyola offense that totaled five hits off DeWitt, while Gardner struck out four in suffering her first loss in Horizon League action since April 18.
