DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Loras College softball team split their doubleheader against the Simpson College Storm Wednesday afternoon, earning a 6-1 win in game one, before falling 7-2 in game two at Faber-Clark Field.
 
It was a tale of two different games for Loras (15-11 overall, 2-4 A-R-C), who controlled game one, but were unable to maintain their momentum in game two.
 
Game One: Loras 6, Simpson College 1
 
Loras benefited from two big scoring innings, as they plated three in the bottom of the first, and three more in the bottom of the fourth. The win snapped an 18-game win streak for the Storm.
 
The Duhawks got a leadoff walk by Ava Franklin before Morgan Machovec reached base with a single. With runners on first and second and two outs, Clare Murphy delivered a three-run homerun to give Loras an early lead after one inning. In the fourth inning, the Purple and Gold were once again able to string together a series of hits. Gillian Jones and Emily Monahan recorded back-to-back hits before Oliva Martinelli reached on an error that scored Katherine Svigeli, who pinch ran for Jones. Franklin then came through with a two RBI single the very next at bat to plate both Martinelli and Monahan.
 
Ashlyn Hemm threw all seven innings, giving up only four hits and one run en route to her seventh win of the season.
 
Game Two: Loras 0, Simpson 9 (F/5)
 
Errors haunted the Duhawks in the latter half of the doubleheader as they committed three of them, which led to four unearned runs for the Storm.
 
After scoring two in the first inning, Simpson used a seven-run third inning to put the game out of reach for Loras. The Storm recorded five of their seven runs with two outs, highlighted by a pair of two-run doubles from Kate Kriegel and Megan Heidelbauer. Unlike game one, the Duhawk offense was held at bay, finishing with only four hits for the game.
 
Up Next: Loras welcomes Buena Vista University to Faber-Clark Field Saturday afternoon for an A-R-C doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. The Duhawks will be honoring seniors Alyssa Hughes and Nicole Bendig in between games for their dedication to the program over the past four years.