LEADING OFF 
Loyola Chicago (12-24, 7-5 A-10) takes a quick trip to Saint Louis for another Atlantic 10 doubleheader on Wednesday, April 9 at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.  

QUICK HITS 

• The Ramblers secured their second consecutive A-10 series sweep and are currently on an eight-game winning streak, dating back to their first conference victory over Saint Joseph's on March 23.     
• Senior pitcher Peyton Pepkowski was named the back-to-back A-10 Pitcher of the Week on Monday, April 6 for the second time this season and seventh overall in her career.  
• Pepkowski pitched her second complete-game shutout this season in the St. Bonaventure series opener, allowing four hits and striking out a season-high 11 batters. In the closer, she stranded the Bonnies' tying run in the seventh inning to seal the complete-game win in a 115-pitch performance, allowing just three hits and one earned run while retiring eight. 
• Junior outfielder Sierra Sass leads the team in hits (33), and at the plate with a .388 BA. She's also first in on-base percentage with a .453 average. Maddy Hickey is the team leader in RBIs (17) and tied for first with four home runs.  
• Senior Haley Wallace and rookie Alli Pawlowicz are both riding six-game hitting streaks.  
• Pepkowski recorded her 600th career strikeout on March 22 against Saint Joseph's, becoming just the second Rambler in program history to do so. She leads the league with 98 strikeouts so far this season.  
• Head coach Alicia Abbott clinched her 100th career win in the Maroon and Gold after Loyola defeated St. John's, 2-1, on Feb. 14 in walk-off fashion.     

SCOUTING REPORT 
SLU is 18-19 overall and 7-5 in league play, collecting two wins in each A-10 series against Fordham and Saint Joseph's. The Billikens are coming off a conference series sweep over George Washington, combining for 15 runs and shutting out every single game.  

Junior catcher/utility Abby Mallo is A-10 leader in RBIs with 49 and leads SLU in both batting average, on a .365 percentage, and hits (42), good for fifth and fourth in the league, respectively. Inside the circle, senior pitcher Taylor Hochman (9-6) has a 2.42 ERA, ranking her second in the A-10, four shutouts and 76 strikeouts on the season.  

SERIES HISTORY 
The Billikens hold the series advantage, 8-5, with the Ramblers. Loyola has beaten SLU on the road only once back in 2019. Last season in the conference tournament, Loyola defeated SLU, 8-4, to advance to the A-10 semifinals then the Ramblers fell, 7-6, to the Billikens for the spot against Dayton in the title game. In the 2024 regular season, Loyola and SLU split the doubleheader in Chicago, with the 'Blers taking the opening game, 6-3, before falling to the Bills with the same score in the closer. Pepkowski combined for 15 shutouts, five hits and three earned runs through 11 innings pitched against SLU in 2024. Together, Wallace and Sass recorded seven total hits across the four games versus the Billikens.  

FOLLOW THE ACTION 
Stream the doubleheader on ESPN+ and follow softball on Instagram and Twitter/X @RamblersSB for in-game updates.