WAVERLY, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - The Loras baseball team dropped games three and four of the weekend series to No. 19 Wartburg on Sunday, falling 5-3 in the opener and 18-11 in the nightcap. Entering the final week of the regular season, the Duhawks now sit at 12-22 overall and 6-18 in the Iowa Conference.
LORAS HIGHLIGHTS
- The Knights opened the scoring on Sunday with three runs in the first two innings.
- A three-run fourth inning by Loras erased the deficit, thanks to three hits.
- The game remained tied through the home half of the fourth and the visiting fifth before Wartburg reclaimed the lead. Only one hit was necessary for the Knights as three batters reached base by either walk or a hit by pitch.
- Wartburg tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to insure the victory.
- Sophomore Aidan Wojcieshowski took the loss for the Duhawks, dropping to 1-2 on the season.
- As a team, Loras drew four walks, but were outdone by the Knight's patience at the plate who drew eight walks.
- The series finale brought with it a resurgence of offense for both teams, combining for 30 runs and 25 hits.
- The Duhawks jumped on the board early with sophomore Ryan Koester's ninth home run of the season, giving Loras a 2-0 lead.
- Wartburg wasted little time behind the 8-ball, scoring two runs of the own off of sophomore Robert Hovey in the home half.
- Loras benefited from a big inning, scoring seven runs on three hits in the top of the fifth. The three-run lead for Loras at 11-8 was short lived as the Knights tied the game at 11-all, scoring three in the bottom of the fifth.
- A six-run eighth inning put the Duhawks in a difficult spot, leaving only three outs to work with while chasing a Wartburg lead.
- Senior Kyle Hoffman took the loss, giving up five runs, four earned, in 3 1/3 innings of work in relief.
- Loras' pitching staff struggled with its control, allowing 12 walks, nine of which came around to score.
UP NEXT
The 2016 regular season will come to a close next week at home as Loras hosts Central on Friday and Saturday. Currently the first team out in the upcoming Iowa Conference Tournament, the Duhawks will need to win at least three of four games this weekend to give themselves a fighting chance to make top-six.
