Boxscore (PDF)
CHICAGO (April 29, 2018)
In Short
Kiley Jones was dominant in the circle, pitching a two-hit shutout, while striking out a season-high nine batters, as Loyola University Chicago (22-25, 8-14 MVC) handed visiting Drake (38-10, 21-1 MVC) its first loss of the year in Missouri Valley Conference action today with a 3-0 victory at Loyola Softball Park. With the win, Loyola, which was playing its final home game of 2018, kept its MVC Tournament hopes alive and snapped a six-game losing skid.
How It Happened
Jones was sensational in the circle and despite battling some rare wildness, allowed just two hits, both to Drake second baseman Kennedy Frank. The junior righthander found herself in a jam in the top of the third inning, when a pair of walks and Frank's and the Bulldogs' first hit of the day loaded the bases. However, Jones escaped harm by fanning Taryn Pena to end the threat, stranding three Bulldogs on the bases.
Loyola got all of the offense Jones would need in the third inning, touching Drake starter Nicole Newman, who entered the game with a 0.48 ERA, and had allowed just one earned run in conference play this season, for a pair of runs.
Peyton DeChant opened the inning by ripping a single just over the third base bag for a single and after
Ashley Parenti's sacrifice bunt moved DeChant into scoring position,
Shannon McGee and
Katie Polaski worked walks from Newman to load the bases.
A strikeout provided Newman with the second out in the inning, bringing
Brooke Wilson to the plate. Wilson deposited a two-out base hit to center, scoring DeChant and McGee for a 2-0 Loyola lead that gave Jones some breathing room, and
Allyson Ivey's sixth-inning homer, her second in as many days off Newman, and just the third she has allowed all season, provided an insurance run for the Ramblers.
Jones found herself in one final jam after retiring the first two hitters in the top of the seventh. Consecutive walks brought the tying run to the plate, but the righthander got Frank to ground out to DeChant at third to end the game as the Ramblers snapped an 11-game losing streak to Drake.
A Look At The Numbers
- Jones earned her 16thwin of the season and has now won 35 games since the start of the 2017 campaign.
- Loyola's victory snapped Drake's school-record winning streak at 24 games as the Bulldogs lost for the first time since March 10.
- Jones has allowed one earned run or fewer in 16 of her 29 starts this season.
Up Next
Loyola plays a pivotal three-game series at Indiana State, May 5-6.
