Valparaiso lost a pair of games at the Hilltopper Classic on Friday evening. The Crusaders dropped their opener 10-7 in 10 innings to Detroit before losing 15-5 to Loyola (Ill.) in Bowling Green, Ky.

In the opener, the Crusaders scored first in the opening inning on an RBI single by Stephanie Reinke (Parker, Colo./J.K. Mullen H.S.). The Titans tied the game in the fifth and the two teams entered extra innings tied at one.

Detroit posted three runs in the top of the eighth before Valpo answered. Corey Burns (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg H.S.) drove home two runs with a single and Amy Mitchell (Star, Idaho/Eagle H.S.) tied the game with another single.

After the Titans scored three more in the ninth, the Crusaders rallied again. Reinke tripled home a run and scored on Karen Constien's (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North H.S.) single. A fielder's choice then tied the game.

Detroit (7-3) scored three more runs in the tenth on a Kristin Martin homer for the final runs of the game.

Reinke went 4-for-5 with a double, triple, and two RBIs, while Burns went 3-for-5 with two runs driven in. Amanda Gilbertson (Murrieta, Calif./West Albany H.S., Ore.) suffered the loss for the Brown and Gold, allowing just four earned runs and striking out five.

In the nightcap, Loyola jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Laurie Grabiak (Saint Louis, Mo./Parkway North H.S.) tied the game with a single.

The Ramblers added two runs in the fourth and five in the fifth before Valpo's bats came alive again. Mitchell started the scoring drawing a bases loaded walk and Reinke reached on an error that scored two runs.

Loyola added six more in the seventh for insurance on the way to the victory.

Mia Pangere picked up the win for Loyola (9-2), while Brittany Attebery (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central H.S.) suffered the loss for the Brown and Gold. Grabiak and Bridget Schwoegler (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton H.S.) both had a pair of hits for Valpo.

The Crusaders (3-8) will face Western Kentucky at 2 p.m. and Belmont at 6 p.m. on the second day of the tournament on Saturday.