CHICAGO (May 10, 2021) - Ninth-seeded Loyola University Chicago (12-28, 8-16 MVC) begins its quest for the program's first NCAA Tournament berth Wednesday morning when it takes on No. 8 seed Evansville (23-21, 11-14 MVC) in the opening round of the Missouri Valley Conference Softball Championship. The Ramblers are making their fourth appearance in the MVC Championship since joining the league for the 2014 season.

Senior first baseman Allyson Ivey was a First Team All-MVC and NFCA First Team All-Midwest Region selection in 2019, when she set the Loyola single-season records for both batting average (.460) and RBI (54). In last Saturday's victory over Indiana State, the Hamilton, Ohio native drove in two runs to set a Loyola career record for runs batted in with 125, surpassing Lauren Moore's (2011-14) previous mark of 124. Over the last three outings, Ivey, who has 12 multi-hit games this year, is batting .500 (5-for-10).

Amelia Thomas has had a breakthrough season and enters the MVC Championship with a .277 (31-for-112) batting average with 14 RBI. The sophomore second baseman has hit safely in each of the last four games, during which she is batting .357 (5-for-14) with three RBI. Thomas has hit safely in 11 of the last 13 outings and has reached base safely in 13 consecutive contests. Against Evansville this season, she is 3-for-9 (.333) with the lone home run of her career.

Over her last eight appearances, junior Sydney Ruggles owns a 1.81 earned-run average and has struck out 60 batters in 46.1 innings of work, while scattering 35 hits. In a 1-0 victory at Evansville on March 20, the right-hander struck out a career-high 14 batters. Ruggles' 163 strikeouts this season are the most by a Rambler since Brittany Gardner punched out 187 batters in 2014. Ruggles' 163 strikeouts are the most by a Loyola righthander since Lindsey LaChiana in 2004 (203).

Madison Ebeling has reached base safely in each of the last 16 outings and sports a .409 on-base percentage this season. The junior shortstop strung together a career-best 10-game hitting streak from April 11 through 25, during which she hit .516 (16-for-31). However, she has gone hitless (0-for-12) over the last six contests but has drawn eight walks and swiped four bases in that stretch. Ebeling is 3-for-8 (.375) versus Evansville this season.

Loyola in the MVC Championship

Loyola is making its fourth trip to the MVC Championship and is 4-3 all-time in the league tournament since joining the conference for the 2014 campaign. The Ramblers have advanced to the MVC Championship three times in the last four years in which the event has been played. In 2014, its first year in The Valley, Loyola reached the title game but fell to Bradley, 8-7. Loyola and Evansville met in the MVC Championship one previous time, in 2017, with the Ramblers coming out on top, 6-1, in a first-round game. Loyola has prevailed in its opening-round game at the MVC Championship twice in its previous three trips - in 2014 and 2017.

Quick Hitters

Southpaw Madison Veres has lowered her ERA by nearly a full run, from 4.62 to 3.92, over the last four outings, during which she has allowed only four earned runs in 19.0 innings pitched, with a 1.47 ERA ... Freshman centerfielder Teagan Sopczak is batting .333 (3-for-9) in her last three outings ... Third baseman Nova Sinskul is also 3-for-9 (.333) in her last three appearances and has committed just one error in the last 10 contests ... Caitlin Engelking is batting .500 (3-for-6) with a home run and a RBI in three games versus Evansville this season ... Allyson Ivey is hitting .462 (18-for-39) with runners in scoring position this spring.