Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Valparaiso tallied nine hits in each game of the doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon but Loyola (Ill.) came out on top on the scoreboard in each one, defeating the Crusaders 8-2 and 5-3 at the Valparaiso University Softball Field.

The Ramblers jumped in front in the first inning of game one on an RBI double to left-center by Raven Gengler. Loyola added three in the top of the third before the Crusaders broke through in the bottom of the inning. Beth Adamski (Saint John, Ind./Lake Central H.S.) singled home two Kelly Silvey (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard H.S.) and Megan Carroll (Eaton Rapids, Mich./Eaton Rapids H.S.) to cut the deficit in half.

Rain started to come down but the Ramblers added two more in the fifth on a double by Katerina Krause, who finished the game with four runs batted in. Single runs in the sixth and seventh closed out the scoring for Loyola in the opener as the Ramblers tallied 14 hits in the game.

Adamski went 3-for-3 in the nightcap as the Crusaders took a tie game into the sixth, but Loyola scored a pair of late runs for the win. Loyola (14-25) opened with three in the first, two on a double by Tricia Oberhaus. A throwing error in the bottom of the inning plated one Crusader run.

Valpo tied the game in the fourth with three straight hits to open the inning. Ann Sievert (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption H.S.) singled and scored on Silvey's triple to right-center. Maggie Seidel (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest H.S.), who had two hits in the game, drove home the tying run with a single up the middle.

The Ramblers scored the go-ahead runs in the sixth on a suicide squeeze bunt and a fielder's choice.

Valparaiso (7-31-1) will conclude their nine-game homestand on Thursday afternoon as the Crusaders host IPFW. First pitch of the twinbill is scheduled for 3 p.m.