MINNEAPOLIS (Duhawks.com) - The Loras softball team opened its 2016 season in convincing fashion, posting a sweep of Minn.-Morris from inside the Augsburg Dome at Edor Nelson Field. An eight-run fifth inning in game one pushed the contest to an ending via the mercy rule, 11-2. In game two, the Duhawks rattled off five unanswered runs to come from behind and win 6-3.
LORAS HIGHLIGHTS
- After a quiet top half of the first, Minn.-Morris opened the scoring in the home half after a fielder's choice back to the pitcher.
- From there, the Duhawk offense took over, scoring one in the second, two in the third and eight in the fifth.
- In her collegiate debut, freshman Hannah Towns 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and three RBIs.
- After a double by sophomore Bria Lenten began the Loras half of the fifth, Towns followed with a triple, driving in Lenten from second.
- The rest of the lineup followed suit, batting around to the tune of seven more hits and runs.
- With the bases loaded, junior Dani Stromert doubled to left center, scoring three. Stromert was thrown out on the play after getting caught in a pickle.
- The eight-run inning made it 11-1. A lone run from the Cougars wasn't enough to stave off the mercy rule, ending game one after five innings.
- In her first start of the year, senior Makaila Haase went four innings, allowing four hits and one earned run with two strikeouts, earning her first win.
- Game two saw Loras' offense continue where it left off, scoring first on a RBI single from Lenten.
- Sophomore Tara Shingler got the start for Loras, but was touched up for three hits and two earned runs in three innings of work.
- Minn.-Morris responded by putting up three runs in its half of the third inning with two hits and benefited from two Loras fielding errors.
- In the bottom of the fifth, Lenten's one-out RBI single tied the game at three before Towns returned to the spotlight with a RBI single of her own to put the Duhawks back in control.
- With two outs in the sixth and her team leading 4-3, sophomore Regan Wolverton delivered a clutch two-RBI single to left center, scoring Stromert and junior Cate Paulsen.
- In relief, senior Erin Hosch came on and threw four innings of two-hit ball, earning her first win of the season in the process.
- Loras earned the opening day sweep for the first time since 2012, which was the last time the Duhawks qualified for the Iowa Conference Tournament, going 20-18.
- Six players recorded multiple-hit games on Friday, with Lenten and Towns totaling a pair of hits in each contest.
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYER OF THE GAME
Game 1Hannah Towns | In her Duhawk debut, Towns drove in three runs while smacking a double and a triple. She finished 4-for-6 with five RBIs, two extra-base hits and a walk.
Game 2
Regan Wolverton | Wolverton's RBI single in the bottom of the sixth, gave Loras a crucial three-run cushion heading to the final frame. On the day, Wolverton went 3-for-4 with three walks, two RBIs and two stolen bases.
UP NEXTLoras returns to the diamond on Saturday morning with a doubleheader against Crown with first pitch scheduled for 8:30 a.m. The Storm opened its season with a sweep of Augsburg on Friday by identical 2-1 scores.
