DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - The Loras softball team fell to 21-11 (5-7 IIAC) on Saturday, dropping both games of the doubleheader to 12th-ranked Central. Sophomore
Megan Larson finished with hits in both games, raising her batting average to .439 this season.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Game One
- Coming off two-straight Iowa Conference Pitcher of the Week awards, Central's Karly Olsen stepped into the circle and struck out three of the first four Loras batters en route to throwing 3 1/3 perfect innings against the Duhawks in game one.Â
- In the top of the second, the Dutch jumped on the board with a bases-clearing double and opened a 3-0 lead.Â
- Larson broke up Central's perfect game with a double down the left field line in the bottom of the fourth. Loras was unable to bring the sophomore around to score as the Dutch retired the next two hitters to halt the rally.Â
- Freshman Emily Reilly set the Dutch hitters down in order over the next three innings including a run of 10 consecutive, spanning from the end of the second through the fifth.
- Central tacked on three more runs on five hits in the top of the sixth to extend its lead to 6-0.
- Two Dutch errors in the field paired with a base hit from sophomore Shannon Coyle loaded the bases for the Duhawks in the bottom of the seventh. Central preserved the shutout with a douple play to end the game.
Game Two
- Sophomore Bayley Monroe sent down the first six Dutch batters to start game two.
- In the top of the third, Central capitalized on a fielding error to begin the inning before scoring on a sacrifice fly to take the 1-0 lead.
- After a leadoff single by Larson and an intentional walk to senior Dani Stromert, the Dutch got out of the jam, retiring the next two Loras hitters, preserving the shutout.
- Central's Abbie Voas led off the top of the fifth with a solo home run to right center.
- Despite back-to-back hits by junior Savannah Fowler and sophomore Ashley Lentine, Loras was held scoreless in the bottom of the fifth.Â
- Four hits in the top of the sixth plated two more runs for the Dutch and pushed their lead to 4-0.
- Central threatened to break the game wide open in the top of the seventh as the first three batters reached base on a pair of singles and a walk. The Duhawks limited the damage to one thanks to a strong relay throw from Lentine to nail Emily Wilson at the plate.
- Loras went down in order in the seventh, handing the Dutch the doubleheader sweep.
NOTABLES
- Larson has now extended her reach-base streak to seven straight games and her hitting streak to five games
- With four games remaining this season, Loras sits in sixth place in the IIAC Standings and is in position to clinch a postseason berth for the first time since 2011Â
UP NEXT
Loras continues it's home stand on Wednesday against No. 10 Coe. The Kohawks most recently earned a split in Waverly against the Knights to move to 10-4 in the Iowa Conference. First pitch of the conference double header is scheduled for 3 p.m.
