April 18, 2014
Carbondale, Ill. - A five-run third inning was too much for the Ramblers to overcome in the second game of today's doubleheader in Carbondale, Ill, as the Loyola University Chicago softball team fell to Southern Illinois, 7-1. A late-game home run from Lauren Moore sparked a seventh-inning rally in which the Ramblers collected three consecutive hits to load the bases, but the squad was not able to capitalize. With the loss, Loyola falls to 16-26 overall and 7-11 in the MVC.
Southern Illinois picked up right where it left off in the first game of today's doubleheader and got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning, exploding for five runs on four hits. After a leadoff walk, the Salukis took advantage of three consecutive hits and a hit batter to take a 5-0 lead.
The Salukis continued their offensive momentum in the fifth and sixth innings, putting up one run apiece in each frame. In the bottom of the fifth inning, two walks and a single allowed the sixth run for Southern Illinois to score, and in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Salukis capitalized on errant pitching by Rambler righthander Ashley Rogers. After Kelsea Ashton was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, she was able to advance to second base on a Jayna Spivey walk and then scampered home on two consecutive wild pitches, giving the Salukis a 7-0 lead.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Ramblers battled back as Lauren Moore led off the frame with a home run, her sixth of the season and the 26th of her career. The senior's blast sparked an offensive rally for the Ramblers, as pinch hitter Jacquelyn Murphy and Annie Korth hit back-to-back singles. Alyssa Mannucci then stepped to the plate and hit a single of her own to load the bases for Erica Nagel, who unfortunately lined out into a double play to end the inning. With those final two outs, Southern Illinois earned the 7-1 victory.
Ashley Rogers took the loss for the Ramblers, giving up five runs on four hits and fanning three in three innings pitched. Korth led the Ramblers at the plate, finishing 3-for-3 on the day.
Loyola is back in action tomorrow when they take on Southern Illinois in series finale at noon CT in Carbondale, Ill.
