INDIANOLA, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - The Loras baseball team swept Simpson on Friday, earning their first consecutive victories in conference action this season. With the pair of wins, Loras moves to 11–17 overall and 5–13 in the Iowa Conference. Senior
Alex Steines pitched a two-hit complete game en route to a 6–1 victory in game one. In game two, the Duhawks were victorious 11–2, behind four multi-hit performances.
LORAS HIGHLIGHTS
- Senior Alex Steines pitched a gem in game one, limiting the Storm to one unearned run. Steines pitched seven strong innings, allowing two hits and one walk, while striking out seven. Two of his strikeouts came via the looking variety.
- Steines was tagged for zero earned runs for the third time this season and the first time since his March 24 match-up against Mt. Saint Vincent.
- Sophomore Michael Muto doubled his season hit total, finishing game one 2-for-2 with an RBI and a walk. Muto drew a walk with the bases loaded in the fourth inning, scoring sophomore Ryan Koester.
- Koester led the team in hitting during game one, finishing 3-for-4 from the dish which includes a fifth inning triple that scored senior Patrick Walsh who doubled in the previous at-bat.
- Junior Thomas Johnson converted with runners in scoring position twice in game one, singling home Walsh in the fourth before scoring Koester on a grounder to second base in the fifth.
- Junior Tony Heiser reached base three times despite going 1-for-3 at the plate. Heiser drew both a walk and hit by pitch, but it was his RBI single to right center in the fifth that sparked a four-run rally.
- Sophomore Patrick Moriarty earned the first start of his career in game two. Moriarty pitched four quality innings for Loras, striking out four batters in comparison to allowing a lowly three baserunners.
- Relieving Moriarty was sophomore Robert Hovey who pitched two clean innings, allowing one walk and no hits, while striking out two.
- Freshman Austin Konagel started a rally for the Duhawks in the seventh inning, singling home Muto. This sparked a seven run inning for Loras.
- With a 3-for-4 performance in game two, Konagel raised his season batting average to a team-high .379. Konagel is hitting .385 in conference play.
- Loras went on to bat around the order in the seventh, with Muto capping off the inning with a two-RBI single which scored Koester and junior Thomas Johnson.
- Muto played the two best offensive games of his season on Friday, finished 4-for-7 with three RBIs, two runs and a stolen base.
- Heiser recorded his team-leading ninth multi-hit game of the season in game two, finishing 2-for-5 with an RBI after singling home Konagel in the seventh inning.
- Senior Patrick Walsh broke out of a slump in a big way on Friday, recording a final batting line of 3-for-8 with three doubles and three RBIs.
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYER OF THE GAME
Alex Steines | Steines returned to form on the mound against the Storm on Friday, pitching a complete game two-hitter en route to his fourth win of the season. The senior lowered his season ERA to 4.58.
Patrick Moriarty | With three days to forget a rough outing against the Univ. of Dubuque, Moriarty buckled down to turn in one of his best performances of the season. Although he received a no-decision, the sophomore baffled the Storm through four innings, allowing three baserunners and striking out four batters.
UP NEXT
Loras continues their road trip against Simpson on Saturday, with the first pitch set for 1 p.m.
