CHICAGO (April 22, 2023) – Loyola softball (19-21, 13-6) kept its home streak alive Saturday with another pair of wins against Rhode Island. Peyton Pepkowski shut the Rams out in game one, 2-0. The Ramblers then escaped a seven-inning rally in game two, 4-2. Loyola is 10-0 at home this year. 
 
Game One // Loyola 2, Rhode Island 0
Loyola's first inning burst of offense was all the Ramblers needed in the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader.
 
Madison Ebeling battled at the plate in the first at-bat. She finally put the seventh pitch through a hole on the left side to single. Ebeling stole second before the second out was recorded to get in scoring position. Sydney Barnett was set up to bring her home with a single to center field. Loyola would get one more on a Wallace triple, and it was quickly a 2-0 lead for the Ramblers.
 
The Rams tallied hits in both the second and third, before erupting for three in the fourth. Zingerman led off with a triple, while Rapuano and Gonzalez filled the bases with bunts. Pepkowski retired the next two and grabbed a pop up to escape the inning without damage.
 
Rhode Island tallied one hit in the remaining three innings but couldn't convert, and Loyola took game one, 2-0.
 
Game Two // Loyola 4, Rhode Island 2
Unlike the first game, game two's offensive action didn't get started until the fifth inning when Loyola put the first two runs on the board.
 
The Rams recorded outs on the first two at-bats before a dropped fly gave Loyola its first base runner of the fifth. Sierra Sass advanced Tori Boysen with an infield single. Ebeling sent them both home with a double to right center for a 2-0 edge.
 
Loyola scored another two unanswered in the sixth. Amelia Thomas led off with a double and quickly scored on a single from Sydney Barnett. Barnett made it 4-0 on Ava Bieneman's sac fly, and the Ramblers ended the inning with two runs on three hits.
 
Rhode Island didn't give up and rallied for two runs in the seventh. Zingerman singled to center followed by a Rapuano single through the right side. On the next at-bat the pair of runners recorded stolen bases, and a Rambler throwing error opened the door for Zingerman to put the Rams on the board.
 
Rapuano got to third with a ground out to second, and she scored easily on Zawistowski's single to center field. The tying run joined Zawistowski on base with a walk, but Andie Broniewicz ended the game catching a routine pop up. Loyola won, 4-2.
 
Inside the Box Score
- The Rams out hit the Ramblers in game one, 8-4.
- Barnett and Haley Wallace finished 1-for-2.
- Teagan Sopczak was walked twice.
- Ebeling and Boysen each stole a base.
- Pepkowski got her 10^th win in the circle to go with 10 strikeouts.
- It marks the second time this season she's hit double-figure Ks.
- In game two, Loyola held an edge on hits, 6-5.
- Barnett, Boysen, and Sass were all 1-for-2 at the plate.
- Ebeling recorded a game-high two RBI.
- Sophia Remsik stole second for the Ramblers.
- Broniewicz improved to 7-8 in the circle with one strikeout.
 
Up Next
The Ramblers and Rams wrap the series Sunday. First pitch is 12 p.m. at Loyola Softball Park.