GAME INFORMATION
Final Score: Loyola 5, Illinois State 4
Records: LUC (19-22, 3-14 MVC); ILS (15-28, 7-10 MVC)
Location: Loyola Softball Park -- Chicago, Ill.
Pitchers of Record: W: Kiley Jones (10-7); L: Regan Romshek (6-7)
Stats: Box Score

In Short...
Loyola ripped three home runs in the first two innings to open up a 5-0 lead and Kiley Jones did the rest, holding off a late Illinois State rally to earn a 5-4 win over the Redbirds in the series finale this afternoon at Loyola Softball Park.

Coach Tylka Says...
"We came out aggressive today and drove the ball early in the game to get some runs and it's always nice to play with the lead. Kiley did a great job of keeping the ball down in the zone and made the big pitches at the end when she needed to."

How It Happened
+ Loyola stormed out of the gate against Illinois State starter Regan Romshek as Erica Nagel opened the game with a ringing double, moved to third on a Brooke Wilson sacrifice and trotted home on a Jamie O'Brien single
+ After a strikeout, Jacquelyn Murphy drilled her third home run of the season, a two-run shot, over the centerfield fence to make it 3-0 after the opening inning
+ Jones set the Redbirds down in order in the top of the second and Loyola played long ball again, as Pasquale homered to lead off the inning and Katy LaCivita greeted new pitcher Sarah Finck with a home run to make it 5-0
+ Illinois State got on the board in the fourth, loading the bases on three consecutive singles and finally denting the scoreboard courtesy of a wild pitch
+ However, Jones buckled down and induced three consecutive ground outs to prevent further damage
+ Loyola tried to get the run right back, putting runners on first and second with one out, but Finck was able to get out of the jam
+ Jones breezed through the fifth and sixth innings before Illinois State made a big push in the seventh
+ The Redbirds scored three times and had the tying run in scoring position but Jones hunkered down and got Riley Strangard to ground out to third to end the game

Inside The Box Score
+ Loyola's three home runs were its most in a game since popping three in an 11-8 win over Campbell back on March 8
+ Four of the seven batters that faced Romshek got hits, including the two home runs
+ However, Finck, who shut out Loyola in game two yesterday, allowed only three hits and the one run in five innings of relief today
+ Jones fanned four and only walked one hitter en route to her 10th win of the season and first since April 3 against Missouri State

Next Up
Loyola returns to action on Tuesday afternoon when it concludes its season series with Indiana State with a single game at Loyola Softball Park (4 p.m.).