CLERMONT, Fla. (Duhawks.com) - The Loras softball team ran its winning streak to six with a pair of wins on Thursday to open the Rebel Spring Games. A 12-3 win over Utica opened the day and set the tone before needing extra innings to defeat Wisconsin Lutheran, 8-5.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Utica
- Despite Thursday's opener being Loras' first outdoor game of the 2017 season, the Duhawks did not miss a step, scoring four runs on three hits in the bottom of the first inning to take an early lead.Â
- In the second inning, Loras strung together four base hits to plate five runners. Junior Shannon Coyle, senior Cate Paulsen and sophomore Lauren Fritz all recorded base hits and later scored in the inning.Â
- A two-run double from the Pioneers brought Utica to within seven at 9-2.
- In the next half inning, the Duhawks responded with an RBI double from sophomore Megan Larson reclaim an eight-run advantage.
- A single run by the Pioneers temporarily staved off defeat, but a two-RBI base hit from junior Regan Wolverton pushed Loras to its fifth-straight win, defeating Utica by mercy rule, 12-3.
Wisconsin Lutheran
- Both teams matched each other run-for-run in the first two innings to keep matters level.
- Juniors Bria Lenten pushed the Duhawks back in front with an RBI single, scoring Paulsen. Later in the inning, junior Savannah Fowler made it 3-1 with an RBI double, to score Wolverton.
- The Warriors scored once in the fourth and again in the fifth to tie the game at 3-all, a score that would hold its course and force extra innings.
- Each team took advantage of the international tiebreaker, scoring one run each in the eighth.
- In the ninth, sophomore Ashley Lentine reached on an error, which scored Lenten in the process.
- Later in the inning, Coyle singled through the left side to score Larson and Lentine and Loras later tacked on an insurance run on a RBI single by sophomore Lauren Fritz.
- Junior Emma Corkill returned back to the mound in the bottom of the ninth and with runners on first and second, Corkill forced a line out double play to end the game.
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Regan Wolverton | The junior drove in the two runs to end Loras' first game in six innings. Wolverton finished the first game 2-for-3 with four RBIs.Â
Cate Paulsen | Paulsen made numerous instrumental plays late in the game to limit the Warriors' scoring opportunities, which included gunning out a total of three runners on the base paths. The senior also scored a run in the Duhawks' win.Â
UP NEXT
The Duhawks continue their competition at the Rebel Spring Games on Saturday, March 18. Loras will take on Skidmore at 11:15 a.m. ET and Knox at 3:45 p.m. ET.
