DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Loras College softball team fell to the No. 11-ranked Simpson College Storm on Saturday afternoon at Faber-Clark Field.
Game One: Loras 3, Simpson College 11
In the first game, Loras (21-10 Overall, 4-5 American Rivers Conference) managed six hits while Simpson (25-5, 8-3) showcased their power with three home runs and 11 hits overall.
The Storm took an early lead in the first inning with Megan Heidelbauer's two-run homer, followed by an RBI single from Brielyn Ginnaty, bringing the score to 3-0.
In the second inning, Simpson widened the gap with a three-RBI double by Mackenzie James and a two-run homer from Katie Shaner. Addison Gookin later added a solo home run, pushing the score to 9-0.
Simpson added two more runs in the third inning, including an RBI walk by Mackenzie James, extending their lead to 11-0.
The Duhawks responded in the fourth inning with their only runs of the game as
Ava Franklin and
Dana Skorich reached base, setting up
Laurissa Klapatauskas for a two-RBI single.
Gillian Jones followed with an RBI single for the Duhawks third and final run.
Game Two: Loras 2, Simpson College 12
In the second game, Loras opened strong, scoring two runs in the first inning with
Kaili Henning crossing home on a double by
Dana Skorich, who then scored on a single by
Kiya Steger, giving Loras a 2-0 lead.
However, Simpson quickly responded with a solo home run to right center by Brielyn Ginnaty in the second inning, closing the gap to 2-1. The Storm then took the lead in the third inning with Megan Heidelbauer's two-run homer, making it 3-2.
The fourth inning saw Simpson extend their lead significantly, scoring six runs through a series of RBI hits, bringing the score to 9-2.
In the fifth inning, Mackenzie James hit a three-run homer, leading to a final score of 12-2 in favor of the Storm.
Up Next: Loras will face Luther College on Tuesday, April 21, at 2 p.m. at Betty A. Hoff Field in Decorah, Iowa.
