PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (Duhawks.com) - The Loras softball team improved to 12-4 on the season after a non-conference split with UW-Platteville on Tuesday. In game one, the Duhawks were led by freshman Emily Reilly who struck out the side in the first two innings to lead Loras to a 8-2 win.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Game One
- Reilly set the tone for the day, setting down seven of the first eight Pioneer batters via strikeout.
- Junior Bria Lenten picked up the Duhawks' first run of the game on an RBI single to center by sophomore Megan Larson. Junior Shannon Coyle continued the rally with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring junior Savannah Fowler for a 2-0 Loras lead.
- Back-to-back RBI doubles by Stromert and sophomore Lauren Fritz scored two more Duhawk runs to extend Loras' lead to four.
- Two base hits later in the inning from junior Bria Lenten and senior Cate Paulsen plated two insurance runs for a 6-0 lead.
- Loras tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh after pinch hitter Melanie Gerbig reached on an error, which scored Coyle from second. Junior Regan Wolverton later grounded out to the pitcher, which scored Stromert for an 8-1 lead.
- In relief, freshman Cassie Rottnik conceded a lone run to UW-Platteville in the bottom of the seventh before retiring the final two batters in succession to seal the win for the Duhawks, 8-1.
Game Two
- Stromert started the scoring for the Duhawks, driving a double to right field, scoring sophomores Makaya Sokoloski and Ashley Lentine.
- After Loras increased its lead to 3-0, the Pioneers responded with a five-run inning to take their first lead of the day.
- The Duhawks cut the deficit to one after Stromert managed to come around to score on an infield single by Paulsen.
- An RBI double by UW-Platteville pushed the Pioneers lead to three in bottom of the fourth.
- With one out in the sixth, Wolverton reached on an error by the third baseman but was stranded on third after back-to-back infield ground outs to end the inning.
- The Pioneers added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth thanks to a two-run blast.
- Trailing by five, Loras' seventh-inning rally was short lived as Larson was the lone hitter to reach base, drilling a double to left field before scoring on a groundout by Stromert, cutting the UW-Platteville lead to 9-5.
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Emily Reilly | The freshman started her outing by striking out the side in the first two frames of the game. Reilly threw six innings while allowing one earned run, one walk and striking out nine.
Dani Stromert | Stromert went 3-for-4 with a double at the plate while driving in three of Loras' five runs and scoring one of her own.
NOTABLES
- After Tuesday's doubleheader, Loras stands at 12-4 this season
- Reilly nearly matched her season-best strikeout mark of 10, set against Crown during the opening weekend
- Today's split with UW-Platteville marks the second-straight draw the the Pioneers in the Duhawks annual border-battle
UP NEXT
The Duhawks continue their road non-conference schedule on Thursday at Grinnell. The Pioneers enter with a 2-8 record after dropping both games of a doubleheader against Central. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
