Contact: Nathan Cameron, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications, 563-588-7243

LEESBURG, Fla. (March 14, 2022) - The Loras College softball team (6-0, 0-0 A-R-C) opened play in THE Spring Games on Monday morning, squaring off against the Augsburg University Auggies (3-6, 0-0 MIAC) and the Oswego State Lakers (0-5, 0-0 SUNYAC) in a duo of non-conference contests. Freshman pitcher Ashlyn Hemm shattered the program's single game strikeouts record against Augsburg, striking out 20 of the 23 batters she faced, allowing only one hit in a complete game shutout victory and helping guide the Duhawks to six straight wins. 

The Duhawks got to work early in the first game of the day against Augsburg with Ellie Schill leading off the top of the first inning with a triple into the gap in left center field before coming around to score a batter later as Abby Jones hit a ground out in the infield to put Loras up 1-0. 

After two innings of scoreless play, the Duhawks tacked on their final two runs of the game in the top of the fourth inning as Jones had her turn to notch a triple to left center to bring up Taylor Donnell, who took a pitch off the body and went on to steal second to put two runners in scoring position for Jadyn Anderson. Jones came home on an Anderson sacrifice fly out to right field, putting Donnell on third with Nicole Bendig due up at the plate. Bendig drove a single to center field to bring Donnell home and solidify the 3-0 victory. 

Hemm dominated inside the circle, throwing a complete 7.0 innings and striking out 20, setting a new single game record for the Duhawks in just her sixth collegiate game. At the plate, the Duhawks were led by Jones and Clare Murphy, who each tabbed a pair of hits with Jones, Anderson and Bendig notching an RBI apiece. 

In the second game of the day, the Duhawks met up with the Lakers from Oswego State and, again, took an immediate lead in the first inning. Schill led the inning off with a single to center field before stealing second with an out in the inning. With Schill in scoring position, Grace Houghton drove a double into left field that scored Schill and put Loras on the board. Olivia Martinelli came in to pinch run for Houghton and stole third before coming home as Anderson drew a walk and advanced to second on the fourth ball that hit the back stop. Anderson went on to advance on an infield ground out off the bat of Bendig and came home as Murphy reached on an outfielder error to put the Duhawks up 3-0 at the bottom of the first inning. 

Oswego grabbed three runs back of their own in the top of the second inning but the Duhawks came right back in the bottom half of the inning as Emily Monahan led the inning off by drawing a walk. With Schill at the plate, Monahan stole second and then took third on a throwing error by the catcher to reach scoring position for Schill. Reaching on an error, Schill made her way to first and Monahan came home to take the lead once again at 4-3. 

After a scoreless third inning, the Duhawks put another two runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning as Schill hit a double down the left line before making her way to third on a Jones sacrifice bunt. With two outs in the inning, Anderson found the gap in right center to drive in Schill and give the Duhawks a two-run advantage at 5-3 at the end of the fourth inning. 

With the score remaining unchanged through the fifth inning, the Duhawks continued to pounce on the Lakers in the bottom of the sixth as Schill reached first on an infield single with one out in the inning before Payton Meier was called on to pinch hit. Meier rose to the occasion and lined a single down the left field line to put two runners on base with Jones coming back in to pinch run. Jones and Schill stole second and third, respecitvely, with Houghton at the plate, who took advantage of her runners on the path and hit a double to deep left field to score both and give the Duhawks the 7-3 win. 

Kayla Stich got the start in the circle for the Duhawks where she threw 2.0 innings, allowing three runs on three hits with a strikeout before head coach Ashley Winter turned to Shandi Rulli to pitch in relief. Rulli dished 1.1 innings, striking out two of the five batters she faced, allowing only one hit. Hemm came in to finish the game in dominant fashion, throwing 3.2 innings of scoreless ball, recording six strikeouts and allowing a hit. 

Offensively, Schill and Houghton led the Duhawks' bats, both going 3-for-4 in the game while Houghton drove in three of the four RBIs in the game. 

The Duhawks continue action in THE Spring Games on Tuesday, March 15 as they take on Salem State University and Maryville College. First pitch against Salem State is scheduled for 10:45 AM (ET) with the second game to immediately follow.