DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - The bats of the Duhawks and the pitching for junior Makaila Haase fueled the Loras College Softball team to a split with University of Dubuque on Thursday. Loras struck first in game one but a grand slam by the Spartans late, handed the Duhawks a 12-9 loss. In game two, the Duhawks scored seven runs in the second inning and never let up on their way to a 10-2 win, securing the split with the Spartans. 

Freshman Bria Lenten's two-run dinger opened a six-run second for the Duhawks (12-12, 1-3). Highlighted by a two-run single by freshman Regan Wolverton and a RBI-single by junior Julie Kistner, the Duhawks carried a 6-0 lead into the bottom of the second.

Dubuque (11-13, 3-1) scrapped away at the Duhawks' lead, scoring in each of the next four innings to take a 12-6 lead into the sixth.

Freshman Savannah Fowler opened the sixth, reaching on an error before sophomore Danielle Stromert was beamed. After Wolverton moved Fowler and Stromert into scoring position, Kistner's grounder pushed Fowler across the plate.

With freshman Emma Corkill holding the Spartans bats in check, Loras headed to the seventh trailing 12-7.

Lenten walked, leading off the inning and jump starting Loras' seventh inning rally. With junior Makaila Haase reaching on a fielder's choice, freshman Miranda Chapman reached on an error, putting runners on the corners with one out. Looking to keep the rally going, junior Ashlee Hoffmann stepped into the batter's box, pinch hitting for senior Nora Zerante. 

During Hoffmann's at bat, Chapman successfully swiped second to move into scoring position. With first base open, Hoffmann took four straight passes before taking a stroll to first base, loading the bases for Stromert. 

Showcasing her patience in the box, Stromert knew a walk or a hit would get the job done and extend Loras' rally. Working the count, Stromert laid off a pitch outside and took the free pass, bringing in one and keeping the bases juiced.

With her team trailing by four, Wolverton stepped to the plate representing the tying run. Looking for her pitch, Wolverton dodged a wild pitch and backed away from the plate. As the ball dribbled back towards the backstop, Haase bolted home from third, pulling the Duhawks within three. From there Wolverton drew Loras' third walk of the inning, bringing up Kistner. 

Kistner smoked a shot down the third base line but a great play by the Spartans' third baseman ended Loras' rally, as the Duhawks dropped game one 12-9.

Despite Dubuque owning a 1-0 lead after the first inning, Loras came back with vengeance in game two - exploding for seven runs. A leadoff walk by Lenten was followed by a sacrifice bunt, moving the Cedar Rapids, Iowa product to second with one out. 

An RBI-single through the left side by Chapman, scored Lenten and leveled the score at one. In the next at bat, Zerante singled, pushing Chapman to third. 

With runners on the corners and nobody out, Fowler sent grounder to third. Misplayed by the Spartans' third baseman, Chapman slid into home safely, giving the Duhawks their first lead of the game. 

After Stromert walked and Wolverton reached on an error, a timely piece of hitting by Kistner scored one. Shortly after reaching first, Kistner took advantage of a first and third opportunity and swiped second with senior Katie Serpico at the dish. Capitalizing on her opportunity, Serpico laced a shot to right field, driving in Wolverton and brining about a pitching change for the Spartans. 

Unlike in the first game, the Duhawks were unfazed by the change in the circle, capping the big inning with a sacrifice fly to extend their lead to 7-1. 

A solo home run in the bottom of the third pulled the Spartans within five, but Haase buckled down on the mound and retired the side.

In the top of the fourth Haase helped her own cause, blasting a dinger to left center, pushing Loras' lead to 9-2.

Picking up where she left off in the third, Haase made quick work of the Spartans in the fourth, thanks to stellar defensive plays by Wolverton and Lenten. After a leadoff single, Wolverton used her speed to track down a liner in right field, Recognizing the Spartans' runner was well off the base, Wolverton fired a throw to first for the double play. With two outs, the Spartans' batter sent a liner up the middle but a diving play by Lenten robbed Dubuque of a hit and brought the fourth inning to a close.

With the sun setting and light starting to play a role, the Duhawks had to finish five innings of play to avoid having the replay the game from the beginning. Not wanting to leave any doubt, the Duhawks finished off the Spartans in the fifth, extending their lead to eight on a Dubuque miscue. 

Senior Holly Klein took to the mound in the bottom of the fifth, shutting down the Spartans with back-to-back strikeouts before Zerante caught a pop up behind the plate, sealing the 10-2 win. 

Game Changer
Big second innings by the Duhawks forced the Spartans to make a pitching change in the second inning of each game … In game one, the change quieted the Duhawks bats … In game two, the change did not faze the Duhawks as they added to their lead

Key Stat
Loras' patience at the plate paid off as the Duhawks walked 14 times … Dubuque recorded five walks on the day

Notables

• Junior Makaila Haase earned the first Iowa Conference win of her career, notching the win in the circle in game two
• With four walks on the day, sophomore Danielle Stromert has eclipsed her season total of a year ago (29), totaling 32 free passes this season
• Loras is 4-2 in five inning games this season
• The 10-2 win in game two marks Loras' first win over the Spartans since April 24, 2012 when the Duhawks outlasted Dubuque 2-1
• Together, the Duhawks and Spartans raised over $1,600 for the American Cancer Society in the fourth annual Strikeout Cancer game

Quotable
Ashley Winter, head coach
"Makaila gave us a great pitching effort today. She was able to keep the Dubuque batters off-balance. Our defense really stepped up in game two and made some great defensive plays."

"Our aggressiveness at the plate and ability to move runners into scoring position was great in game two. It fueled our play in the second game, when we had runners in scoring position our batters were confident that they were going to push them across the plate in anyway they could."

Up Next
Loras enjoys a much needed five day break before making the trip to Storm Lake, Iowa for an Iowa Conference matchup with the Buena Vista Beavers. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.