Contact:
Nathan Cameron, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications, 563-588-7243
CHICAGO, Ill. (Mar. 14, 2021) - The Loras College softball team (0-4, 0-0 A-R-C) made the trip to Chicago, Ill. to take on the North Park University Vikings (5-1, 1-1 CCIW) in a Sunday matinee non-conference doubleheader.
Taylor Donnell shined for the Duhawks both on the mound in the first game pitching 6.0 innings while at the plate she posted two hits and an RBI in each but the Vikings claimed victories in both games.
The Duhawks put runs on the board first in the first game of the doubleheader after
Gabriella Garcia reached base on a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from
Ellie Schill. With two outs, Donnell stepped up to the plate and hit a double to the gap in right center to score Garcia from second to give the Duhawks a 1-0 lead. North Park responded immediately in the bottom half of the first on an RBI double to left field. Two innings later in the bottom of the third, North Park added another run on a bases loaded walk to give them a 2-1 advantage. The score remained unchanged for the remainder of the game to give the Vikings the win in the first game.
Garcia and Donnell led the Duhawks offensively in the first game with a double a piece while Donnell threw 6.0 innings, allowing two runs on six hits with two strikeouts.
Game number two saw the Duhawks get off to an quick and strong start, scoring in the first inning on a Donnell RBI single up the middle that scored Schill from third. An inning later, Loras kept the runs coming after
Madison Franks reached base on a single to left center and advanced to scoring position after stealing second with
Abigail Bergholz at the plate. Franks went on to score from second after Bergholz smacked a double to right field. With two outs and Bergholz on second, Garcia singled to right field to score Bergholz and bring Schill to the plate. Schill followed with an RBI double to the gap in left center to score Garcia from first and widen the Duhawks lead to 4-0.
After a pair of scoreless innings, North Park added two more runs back in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI double that scored two. The same scenario played out in the bottom of the fifth inning with the Vikings tying the game at 4-4 on yet another double that scored two. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, North Park hit an RBI single through the left side of the infield to win the second game 5-4.
Loras had a solid showing at the plate in the second game, recording ten hits with Donnell hitting two and eight other Duhawks recording one hit each. Garcia, Schill, Donnell and Bergholz each notched an RBI in the game.
Nicole Bendig started the game on the mound for Loras and threw 3.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with a strikout before Donnell got more action at pitcher, rounding out the game with 5.0 innings pitched, allowing three runs on six hits.
The Duhawks return to action on Saturday, Mar. 20 as they take on the Nebraska Wesleyan University Prairie Wolves in their conference-opening double header at Faber-Clark Field. The first game of the afternoon is slated to start at 1:00 PM.
