DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - In a tale of two completely different games, the Loras baseball team opened conference action on Friday with a split against Simpson. The Duhawks took the opener in convincing fashion, 14-4, before dropping a back-and-forth affair in game two, 9-7.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Game One
- Simpson broke open the scoring in the first inning on a single through the right side
- It took two innings to get Loras' offense in motion, but once it started, there was little to stop it ... The Duhawks broke open for six runs in the third, all of which were unearned due to a pair of fielding errors
- Simpson got three runs back with one swing of the bat in the fourth thanks to a three-run home run
- With two runners on, Danny Weis hit the first of two triples, driving in two ... Two pitches later, Ryan Koester launched the 1-0 offering deep over the left field wall for his first home run of the season
- Loras made it a nine-run game at 13-4 after Weis tripled home two runs and scored on a passed ball
- Danny Paluch drew a four-pitch walk with one out in the eighth ... Following a stolen base, Paluch was aggressive on the bases, going second to home on a wild pitch, ending the ball game with Loras taking the win, 14-4

Game Two
- This time, it was the Duhawks who started the scoring thanks to a two-RBI double by Paluch
- The first run of the game for the Storm came on a double steal in the second and they equalized after a single up the middle
- Back-and-forth the two teams went, trading runs for runs ... First Loras jumped un front 3-2 but Simpson came right back with a run in the next half inning
- A four-run sixth inning gave the Storm a 7-5 lead but the Duhawks answered immediately with two to equalize at 7-all
- Finally, Simpson broke through with two runs that Loras would not be able to come back from, taking a 9-7 lead into the home half of the seventh

NOTABLES
- Brad Schwind recorded his fifth win of the season and increased his lead in the Iowa Conference as the only pitcher with five wins this season
- Weis' two triples exceeed his season total from last year ... The Joliet Catholic prep needs for his career
- Luke Fennelly raised his batting average to an even .300 this season
- Koester's home run in game one was the 14th of his career

FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYER OF THE GAME - Danny Weis
- The senior continued his terror on Friday, raising his average to .441, .133 points higher than this previous season-best of .308

UP NEXT
The series finale originalyy scheduled for Saturday, March 24, has been pushed back to Sunday, March 25 due to cold temperatures in eastern Iowa and the forecast of 3-6 inches of snow. First pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 2 p.m.