PLEASANT HILL, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - The Loras baseball team dropped their season opener to Mount Mercy on Saturday, 3-2. Strong performances from the mound by senior
Alex Steines and freshman
Brian Pall helped keep matters close, but in the end, the Duhawk offense was limited to three hits scattered over nine innings and had runners in scoring position before a double-play ended the threat.
LORAS HIGHLIGHTS - Loras struggled offensively throughout their season-opener, collecting three hits on 33 plate appearances.
- Senior Lucas Jacque secured the teams lone RBI, driving in senior Patrick Walsh in the top of the fourth.
- Sophomore Michael Muto scored the teams second run of the afternoon to tie the game at 2-all. Muto scored after freshman Danny Paluch reached base on an error.
- The pitching staff entered the season as a big question mark for the Duhawks, but saw success in the opener, striking out 10 over eight innings.
- Senior Alex Steines earned the start, lasting three innings, striking out five.
- Steines surrendered two earned runs, but showed improved command of his pitches by throwing seven first pitch strikes.
- Freshman Brian Pall shined in his collegiate debut, pitching three scoreless innings in his first appearance.
- Pall struck out three batters and induced weak contact on eight occasions.
- Opposing batters hit .200 off of Pall in his debut.
- As a team, the Duhawks produced 13 quality at-bats.
- Loras tallied seven hard hit balls, one of the being Jacque's RBI single to left.
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYER OF THE GAME
Brian Pall | The Evergreen Park, Ill. succeeded in inducing weak contact throughout his appearance, allowing opponents to hit a lowly .200 against him while striking out three.
UP NEXTLoras heads to Jacksonville, Ill. next weekend, facing four quality programs. The Duhawks meet UW-Platteville to open the weekend, before facing Elmhurst, Northland and MSOE. It will be the first-ever meeting between Loras and Elmhurst.
