Softball Stumbles During Marshall March Madness

The Loyola softball team traveled to Huntington W. Va. to compete in Marshall University’s Marshall March Madness March 7-9. The Ramblers’ second matchup against Valparaiso University was their only win in five games, bringing their season record to 4-19. 

March 7 vs. Valparaiso

Friday action between the Ramblers and Valparaiso began in the first inning when fourth-year infielder Haley Wallace singled to left center, bringing home third-year outfielder Sierra Sass. 

Fourth-year outfielder Riley Owens singled down the right side shortly after to bring home Wallace before a single to left field by second-year infielder Nat Lesnicki brought home Owens for a 3-0 Rambler lead. 

Early scoring continued during the bottom of the first when Valparaiso third-year infielder Mack Gallagher homered to left center. The deep ball also brought home third-year pitcher and infielder Azalya Lopez alongside first-year catcher and utility player Madison Vrastil to tie the game at three apiece. 

The Ramblers scored again in the third inning when a grounder by fourth-year pitcher Peyton Pepkowski sent Wallace home for a 4-3 lead. 

Valparaiso walked away with a 5-4 victory after going ahead in the third inning when third-year infielder and outfielder Lexi Szostak’s single to left field allowed fourth-year outfielder Lauren Sena and second-year outfielder Carson Kuhlmann to make their way home.

March 7 vs. Marshall 

Action between the Ramblers and Bisons didn’t pick up until the third inning, when Marshall’s fourth-year outfielder Kasia Parks and third-year catcher Abby Darnley both homered to left field. They grabbed an early 3-0 lead after fourth-year pitcher and utility player Bub Feringa doubled and redshirt first-year infielder Chandler Hoskins came home on the play.

Marshall’s second-year infielder Ramey George added another homer to score herself, Feringa and third-year infielder Paige Simpson, extending their lead 6-0. 

The Rambler’s lone score of the game occurred in the following inning when first-year infielder and outfielder Alli Pawlowicz reached home on a second-year infielder Skyler Croker single.

Hoskins added on with a fourth Bison home run on the night, bringing first-year outfielder Diamond Leslie home. A sacrifice-fly by second-year infielder Haleigh Adkins brought home Simpson, ending the game with a 9-1 Bison win. 

March 8 vs. Valparaiso

The Ramblers quickly kicked off their Saturday in the first inning when Wallace doubled to left field and a resulting fielding error brought home second-year outfielder Katie Mitchell. First-year third and first baseman Addyson Borg doubled the lead to 2-0 with a walk to bring home Lesnicki. 

Valparaiso got on the board after second-year infielder Natalie Bush scored on a fielding error by Pawlowicz.

A three-run homer in the third inning by second-year utility player Maddy Hickey brought the Ramblers’ lead to 5-1 before a four-run fourth inning for the Ramblers extended it further. 

Valparaiso responded with a two-run double by first-year outfielder Sophia Leitzen before a ground-out RBI from third-year infielder Kim Rodas brought in Leitzen to shrink the gap. 

Hickey negated the response with a double to left center to bring in Lesnicki, ending the game on a 11-4 Rambler win. 

March 8 vs. Buffalo

Play against the Bulls kicked off in the first inning when a ground-out by first-year outfielder Emily Gorman brought home third-year outfielder Mia Mitchell. The Buffalo lead extended to 2-0 after third-year first baseman Abbey Nagel came home on a single by first-year catcher and utility player Isabella Smithson.

The Bulls grew the lead to 4-0 after another single by Gorman sent home second-year outfielder and utility player Reagan Terwilliger, and a hit from Smithson scored Nagel.

Loyola eventually responded in the sixth inning with a Hickey homer and a double by first-year infielder and outfielder Abby Johnson to bring in Pawlowicz, but the game ended in a 4-2 Rambler loss. 

March 9 vs. Marshall

Scoring in the second matchup between Loyola and Marshall kicked off in the second inning, with Hoskins coming home on a bunt by Simpson for an early 1-0 Bison lead.

The Ramblers responded with a bunt by Sass, who advanced to second on the play and simultaneously brought in first-year outfielder Averi Vander Woude. Sass scored on a Wallace single up the middle which preceded Wallace coming home on fourth-year infielder Bella Crimaldi’s single, capping a 4-1 Ramblers lead. 

A double by Marshall first-year catcher Tia Titi sent Hoskins and Darnley across home plate to shrink the Bull’s deficit to 4-3. 

Marshall redshirt third-year infielder Brooklyn Ulrich doubled to right center and brought home Simpson before a sacrifice fly by fourth-year infielder Rielly Lucas brought in Ulrich. Parks snatched the opportunity to run home on a passed ball, flipping the lead 6-4 in favor of the Bulls. 

Marshall continued their assault in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly by Simpson that brought home Hoskins. Parks tripled to right center, with Ulrich and Titi coming in for two more points. Lucas singled through the right side and brought home Parks, extending their 10-4 lead. 

The Ramblers fought back with a single by Lesnicki to bring in Johnson, but they ultimately fell short, as a three-run inning from Marshall finalized a 13-5 defeat.

Loyola starts Atlantic 10 conference play with a weekend at Fordham University March 15-16. The Ramblers’ first game will be March 15, with the first pitch set for 11 a.m.