Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. (Duhawks.com) - The bats came alive for Loras Baseball (5-2) on Saturday as they handed MacMurray College (2-4) a 13-5 loss on day one of this weekend road trip. Junior Patrick Walsh was just a triple shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with two RBI's and a walk.

Senior Adam Schwoebel made his second start of the season, providing six innings of quality pitching. Schwoebel allowed six hits and two earned runs while striking out four batters. The O'Fallon native had plenty of offensive support this afternoon, as Loras brought eight baserunners around to score while he was on the mound.

Loras really found their offensive groove during the fifth inning in which they scored five runs. Patrick Walsh stepped into the box for the second time looking to provide his pitcher with some much needed support. With senior Anthony Flattery on first base, Walsh launched the ball over the head of the right-fielder for a home run.

This would not cap off the fifth inning for the Duhawks however as senior Adam Kennedy tripled in sophomore Tony Heiser just two at-bats after Walsh. Following a hit by pitch to junior Lucas Jacque, sophomore Nolan Ritter hit a soft fly ball into shall right field. With the right-fielder unable to get under it, two more runs crossed the plate.

It didn't take long for the Duhawks to string together another impressive series of at-bats, driving home four runs in the top of the eighth inning. Kennedy once again played a key role in the run, driving in two baserunners on a double. He would come around to score later on following a sacrifice fly by freshman Ryan Koester.

At one point the Highlanders brought the game within three, at 8-5, but the strong relief pitching of freshman Brad Schwind and Robert Hovey closed the door on MacMurray's chances for good. The duo of solid freshman, threw 2.1 scoreless innings allowing two hits while striking out three.

In the night cap, the Duhawks fell to to the Hamline University Pipers (3-3), 10-1. Junior Patrick Walsh came around to score on an errant throw in the bottom of the sixth inning for the Duhawks lone run of the game.

Playing in their first night game of the season, Loras looked fatigued from the get go as they were unable to create runs for a majority of the night. Prior to the fifth inning, the Duhawks were able to muster just two baserunners while Hamline's Aaron Stoneberg sent Loras down in order in two of the first four innings. The Pipers offense was up to the task from the start, touching up junior Alex Steines for seven runs (two earned) over 4.1 innings pitched.

One bright spot for the Duhawks was the pitching of freshman Nick Spiess. The Iowa City native came in to relieve Steines and filled in admirably. Spiess pitched the final 4.2 innings allowing three runs (one earned) to cross the plate in the eighth while pitching out of some tricky spots in the process. With runners on base in both the fifth and eighth innings, Spiess buckled down to get out of the jam showing the poise of a veteran.

At the end of his stint, Spiess had recorded a 5-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio which led the team.