CARBONDALE, Ill. (March 5, 2023)
 
In Short…
Peyton Pepkowski tossed a no-hitter as Loyola (4-14) defeated Butler (4-15) 7-0 in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader, before falling to UT Martin (5-9) in a narrow 5-4 decision to split Day 2 action at the Saluki Invitational.
 
Pepkowski recorded the seventh no-hitter in program history and the first since Loyola's combined no-hitter three years ago in a 12-0 win over George Mason in five innings. It's the first seven-inning no-hitter since May 10, 2012, when former standout Brittany Gardner held Green Bay hitless in the Horizon League tournament.
 
Additionally, it's the second no-hitter recorded by an Atlantic 10 pitcher this season and the 47th overall this season in NCAA Division I softball.
 
Game 1 // Loyola 7, Butler 0
 
Pepkowski faced two batters above the minimum, throwing 87 pitches with four strikeouts and one walk. She induced 11 fly ball outs and six ground outs.
 
Before Pepkowski took the circle, Loyola grabbed a quick lead with four runs on five hits.
 
Amelia Thomas and Tori Boysen each recorded RBI singles while Nova Sinskul connected on her first of two doubles to produce the fourth run. The Ramblers also scored a run when Sierra Sass crossed safely on a double steal.
 
Teagan Sopczak led off the second inning with a single, which registered the most hits by the Ramblers in eight games.
 
Loyola would end up with nine hits total – tying its season-high mark with its win at Florida Atlantic earlier this season.
 
Sinskul led off the fourth with her second extra-base hit and first career outing with two doubles. That led to another Rambler rally that included an RBI knock from Hannah Nalley and a two-run double by Thomas for the 7-0 lead.
 
The Ramblers tallied four doubles, including two from Sinskul and one each by Thomas and Madison Ebeling.
 
Thomas went 2 for 3 at the plate and produced a career-best three RBIs.
 
Game 2 //  UT Martin 5, Loyola 4
 
Loyola again took the first lead of the game when it scored two runs on three hits in the second inning. Haley Wallace drew a leadoff walk and Ebeling singled, before Boysen slapped an RBI single to right field. A double steal would allow Ebeling to cross the plate, putting the Ramblers ahead 2-0.
 
UT Martin responded with a run in the bottom of the second, and plated two more in the third for its first lead of the game on a two-out, two-run double by the designated player Katie Dreiling.
 
The Skyhawks remained out in front until a late sixth-inning rally by the Ramblers.
 
With two outs, Jocelyn Currie sparked the offense with a pinch-hit single to right center.
 
Boysen singled to right in the next at-bat, before Sophia Remsik came on as a pinch runner and a double steal would end up tying the game.
 
Then, Hannah Nalley was called upon to pinch hit and provided another clutch moment, roping a double to the left-center gap to push the go-ahead run across and give Loyola a 4-3 lead.
 
However, the lead was short-lived as UT Martin took advantage of a defensive miscue and scored a pair of unearned runs in the next half inning. The Skyhawks retired the side in order in the seventh.
 
Loyola finished with seven hits, led by Boysen's 2-for-3 effort.

Thomas extended her hitting streak to five games and closed the weekend hitting .455 with four RBIs and two doubles.
 
Bailey Johnson and Andie Broniewicz each tossed three innings in the circle.
 
Up Next
Loyola heads to California next weekend for five games at the Mustang Classic, hosted by Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. The Ramblers will compete against Saint Mary's, Cal Poly and South Dakota State.