DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com)- The Loras softball team completed a sweep of Millikin on Wednesday, topping them 5–3 in game one and 5–2 in game two. The doubleheader featured three home runs in total from freshman
Megan Larson, sophomore
Miranda Chapman and junior
Cate Paulsen.
LORAS HIGHLIGHTS
- Despite both teams getting multiple batters on base in the first inning, neither side was able to bring in a run.
- The Duhawks struck first in the bottom of second thanks to Chapman's first home run of the season and fifth of her career. Chapman drove the 3–2 pitch deep over the center field fence, plating sophomore Bria Lenten to help Loras take a 2–0 lead.
- The Duhawks rank second in the IIAC with 16 home runs after today's doubleheader.
- Millikin added a run in the third on a sacrifice fly and in the fifth off a single to tie the game, 2-all.
- Loras responded in their half of the fifth with a one-out RBI single by senior Makaila Haase, followed by a RBI groundout by freshman Hannah Towns. With the two runs in the inning, the Duhawks took a 4–2 lead.
- After reaching base via walk, Chapman scored an insurance run after a passed ball got away from the Millikin catcher.
- The Big Blue's run in the seventh was not enough to surpass the Duhawks as they took game one, 5–3.
- Larson collected her sixth multiple-hit game of the season with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate.
- The Duhawks carried over the momentum from the game one win, starting game two with solo shot by Larson on a 2–1 pitch, her fourth of the season.
- Junior Dani Stromert kept the offense moving with a double and she later came around to score on freshman Shannon Coyle's single to right center.
- The Duhawks extended their lead to 4–0 after scoring two more runs on a pair of singles by Chapman and Paulsen.
- Sophomore Emma Corkill did a great job leading the defense as she saw the minimum number of batters through the first two innings. She induced 10 groundouts, six fly outs and four strikeouts in the game.
- The second through fifth innings were short and quiet for both teams. Loras and Millikin combined for four hits over the three-inning stretch, leaving the score at 4–0 in favor of the Duhawks.
- Paulsen put fire back in the game, sending the first pitch she saw in the sixth inning over the fence and onto West 16th Street, increasing the Duhawk lead to 5–0.
- Millikin rallied to score two runs in the top of the seventh, but the lead created by the Duhawks was too much to overcome, holding on for the 5–2 win.
- Stromert increased her on base streak to 13 games with a hit in each game.
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Megan Larson | The freshman went 3-for-3 in game one, tallying her sixth double of the season. She also recorded her sixth multiple-hit game of the season, which leads the Duhawk roster.
Miranda Chapman | The sophomore went 2-for-3 in game three with an RBI and a triple. After a slow start to her campaign, Chapman is hitting .455 in her last four games with four RBIs and has a slugging percentage of 1.000.
UP NEXT
The Duhawks continue their home stand with a conference matchup against Simpson on Saturday, April 16 with first pitch set for 3:00 p.m. The Storm improved to 4–2 in the Iowa Conference after a midweek sweep of Coe on Wednesday. Simpson took both games of last season's series against Loras.
