KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Loras College softball team finished THE Spring Games with a 9-1 record after ten games in central Florida. The Duhawks won six straight over the last three days of the event.
 
Loras 4, University of Rochester 0
 
Loras (7-4) scored the game's first run in the bottom of the second inning. Clare Murphy led off the inning by reaching on an error, then was pinch ran for by Karlee Berge. Berge would take second on a SAC bunt from Emily Monahan and third on a base hit by Whitney Leipold. An Oliva Martinelli SAC fly would give the Duhawks an early 1-0 lead. Loras would add on three more runs in the third. After two walks drawn by Morgan Machovec and Payton Meier, Ava Franklin would load the bases with a base hit. Alyssa Hughes then hit a SAC fly that scored Machovec and then Murphy would give the Purple and Gold their final runs of the game with a bases clearing double that platted both Franklin and Meier.
 
Starting pitcher Ashlyn Hemm threw a no-hitter, allowing just three baserunners, while striking out seven in a complete game effort. The no-hitter is just the 17^th in program history, with the last coming in 2022, which was a combined effort between Hemm and Kayla Stich against Edgewood College.
 
Loras 7, Nichols College 4
 
Loras (8-4) wasted no time getting their offense going as they would record four runs in the top of the first frame. After a lead-off walk from Meier, Franklin recorded the game's first hit with a double that would advance Meier to third. An RBI single by Hughes gave the Duhawks an early 1-0 lead. Nichols (2-7) recorded three errors in the inning that led to three runs for Loras. The Bison got a run in in the third and a run in the fourth inning to cut the Loras lead in half. After a scoreless four inning stretch, the Duhawks would get one run in the fifth inning thanks to an RBI single by Hughes that platted Franklin, who found herself on base following a fielder's choice. Loras got two insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning thanks to an RBI double by Murphy. Nichols was able to get two runs in the bottom half of the seventh but were unable to complete their comeback attempt.
 
Shandi Rulli would get the win in the circle, throwing 2.1 innings and striking out three batters, while Katherine Svigelj earned her first save of the year.
 
Loras 5, Ripon College 3
 
Loras (9-4) was able to run their way to victory in this one, recording six stolen bases for the game, which included four in the first two innings alone.
 
In the first, Franklin was able to reach base on a fielder's choice, before stealing second and then advancing to third on a base hit by Hughes. Pinch running for Hughes, Berge was able to move herself into scoring position by stealing second as well. Murphy brought home both runners with a bunt single to give the Duhawks an early lead. In the second, Martinelli drew a two-out walk before stealing second and then advancing to third on a wild pitch. After a Machovec walk, Loras was able to execute a double steal that resulted in Martinelli stealing home for Loras' third run of the game. Ripon (2-10) held the Duhawks scoreless until the sixth inning, while also recording two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to even the score. In the sixth inning, the Purple and Gold broke the tie with a two-out rally that was highlighted by a Leipold walk and a Martinelli base hit. Svigelj took advantage of the Duhawk base runners by singling to center that platted both Leipold and Martinelli. Rachel Peat retired the next six straight batters to give Loras a 5-3 victory.
 
Loras 5, Skidmore College 1
Skidmore (2-8) was first on the scoreboard, putting up their only run in the top of the first inning. Loras (10-4) waited until the fourth inning to get on the board, scoring three runs in the inning, followed by two more in the fifth.
 
The lone run for Skidmore came off the bat of Sophia Finch, who delivered a two-out base hit to give her team an early lead. Jumping to the fourth inning, Leipold and Martinelli led off with back-to-back singles before Meier delivered a bases clearing double to give the Duhawks a 2-1 advantage. Franklin would give Loras one more run in the inning with an RBI single that platted Meier. In the fifth inning, Loras would get an RBI double off the bat of Gillian Jones that scored Zoë Espiridon, who reached on an error, followed by an RBI single by Leipold to give the Duhawks a 5-1 lead.
 
After Hemm allowed the lead-off batter to reach base in the top of the seventh, Murphy put any comeback thoughts to rest as she would catch Claire Stone trying to steal second. Hemm would strikeout the next Thoroughbred batter to earn her first save of the year.
 
Loras 2, Lake Forest College 0
 
The Duhawks scored both of their runs in the first three innings while Hemm held Lake Forest (6-5) scoreless for the game allowing just four hits.
 
Loras (11-4) put themselves on the board in the opening inning. Franklin reached base on a fielder's choice, and then took second on a throwing error by the Foresters. Franklin came around to score when Murphy recorded an RBI off a fielder's choice. The third inning was a lot like the first for Loras. Franklin recorded a base hit before advancing all the way to third thanks to back-to-back wild pitches. After a Hughes walk, it was Murphy again who came through by putting a ball in play that scored Hughes.
 
Hemm recorded a complete game shutout for the Duhawks. The junior continued to dominate in the circle as she struckout eight batters, allowing only one walk.
 
Loras 2, University of Southern Maine 0
 
After a scoreless first two innings for both teams, Loras (12-4) was first on the scoreboard in the third inning. Martinelli led off the bottom half of the third with a walk, before advancing to third via a groundout and base hit from the Duhawks. A Meier SAC bunt platted Martinelli for the first run of the game. Loras would get one more in the fifth frame thanks to an RBI single by Espiridon that scored Leipold.
 
Rulli got the win for the Duhawks, throwing seven shutout innings while giving up five hits and recording one strikeout.
 
 
Up Next: Loras will travel to Chicago, Ill. for the North Park University Invite on March 23-24. The Duhawks will play the University of Chicago and North Park University on day one at  2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. respectively.