DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - A strong comeback effort in game two of Sunday's doubleheader against Cornell lifted the Loras softball team to a split in its home opener. Sophomore
Bayley Monroe earned her fourth win of the season as the Duhawks improved to 11-3 overall.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Game One
- Two Duhawk errors in the first three at-bats of the game gave Cornell an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Another base hit paired with aggressive base running by the Rams tacked on another Cornell run before Loras could end the inning.
- Senior Dani Stromert ripped a leadoff single through the right side for the Duhawks, but was stranded on base after three consecutive outs.
- The Rams threatened to score again in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with one out. Freshman Emily Reilly worked herself out of the jam forcing a ground out to end the inning.
- A two-run double from Cornell ended Reilly's game on the mound as head coach Ashley Winter turned to freshman Cassie Rottnik with one out in the fifth.
- Rottnik ended the Rams' rally and sent the Duhawks back to the dugout trailing 4-0.
- With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Loras scored it's first run of the game on an RBI single by Stromert, scoring sophomore Ashley Lentine.
- In the top of the seventh, Cornell unloaded for five runs on four hits to take a 10-1 lead.
- Sophomore Lauren Fritz led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to left field, but that was all the Duhawks could manage, as the next three batters were set down in order to end the game.
Game Two
- Loras turned to sophomore Bayley Monroe for game two and made quick work of the Rams with a 1-2-3 inning in the first.
- Fritz broke the scoreless tie with a solo home run to left on a 3-2 pitch to give the Duhawks their first lead of the day.
- After a one-out single in the top of the fourth, junior Bria Lenten stopped the Cornell attack before it could get started with a 6-3 double play.
- In the home half of the fourth, sophomore Megan Larson took the first pitch she saw and blasted a solo home run to right center for the 2-0 lead.Â
- Back-to-back base hits by Cornell to start the top of the sixth ended Monroe's outing as Winter turned to junior Emma Corkill in relief.
- The Rams scored their first run of the game on an RBI ground out before Corkill ended the rally with the tying run on third.
- With the tying run 60 feet away in the top of the seventh, Corkill forced a ground out to end the game and secure the 2-1 win for Loras.
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Dani Stromert | The senior provided most of the offense for the Duhawks in the game one loss. Stromert ended the game having hit 2-for-3 from the plate while batting in Loras' only run of the game.Â
Bayley Monroe | Monroe improved to 4-0 this season, allowing one run on five hits while striking out two in five innings of work.
NOTABLES
- The Duhawks are 10-0 when scoring first this seasonÂ
- Junior Shannon Coyle has reached base safely in 12 consecutive games
- Lentine currently leads the Iowa Conference in hits (27), triples (3), home runs (5) and slugging percentage (.946)
UP NEXT
Loras returns to action on Tuesday with a non-conference doubleheader at UW-Platteville. The Pioneers are 4-10 this season and swept Beloit on Sunday. First pitch on Tuesday is scheduled for 4 p.m.
