May 4, 2008

Box Score

CHICAGO - In a fitting send-off for its five seniors, Loyola University Chicago (18-23-1, 12-7 Horizon) rolled past Detroit (12-26, 4-13 Horizon) with a 12-0 victory in five innings this afternoon at Loyola Softball Park. The Ramblers pounded out 10 hits on the day and drew nine walks again two Titans pitchers to tie their season high with 12 runs. As a sign of its offensive balance, six Ramblers drove in at least one run as Loyola completed a three-game weekend sweep.

After honoring the senior class of 2008 prior to the game, the Ramblers got their bats going early after Amy Solava shut down Detroit in the top of the first inning. One of those seniors, Kat Krause, ripped a two-run single to left field with the bases loaded and one out to give Loyola a 2-0 lead.

But, it was in the bottom of the second inning where the Ramblers' bats were nearly unstoppable as they scored nine runs on six hits and five walks off a pair of Detroit hurlers to blow the game wide open. The two key hits in the inning for Loyola were a two-run double by Angie Funston and a bases-clearing double by another senior, Katie Duffy.

Loyola added a run in the fourth inning when senior Nora Schober stroked a RBI single to left to score Kristin Guska.

Schober and Lindsay O'Gean each went 3 for 3 with a pair of runs, while Schober also drove in three. Krause and Funston each recorded two RBI and Solava earned the win by throwing three scoreless innings, while allowing only one hit.

The Ramblers will host the 2008 Horizon League Softball Championship, May 8-10 at Loyola Softball Park. With the win today, Loyola earned the No. 4 seed and will face ninth-seeded Detroit Thursday at 1 p.m.