Softball Slaughtered at SDSU Season Kickoff Tournament

Loyola softball traveled to San Diego, Calif. to compete in San Diego State University’s Season Kickoff Tournament Feb. 6-8. The Ramblers lost all five of their games, with the mercy rule being in effect for two of them. 

Feb. 6 vs. University of Kentucky

Friday’s action between the Ramblers and the Wildcats began in the first inning when a fielding error by Kentucky fourth-year utility and infielder Madyson Clark brought third-year infielder Li Sedakis home from second base. 

Second-year infielder and outfielder Alli Pawlowicz’s double to left center allowed graduate catcher and first baseman Adelina Staden to run home from first base. Action was slow until the second inning when Kentucky third-year outfielder and infielder Emory Donaldson singled to right center to bring in fourth-year catcher Karissa Hamilton for a run. 

The fourth inning found another run for Hamilton off Kentucky redshirt fourth-year catcher Ella Emmert’s walk. Wildcat first-year pitcher Abby Hammond scored a run off a single by Kentucky third-year catcher Carly Sleeman. 

Hammond’s home run to left field added two runs to the board with trips to home for her and Hamilton, securing the 5-3 win for the Wildcats. 

Feb. 6 vs. San Diego State University

Action didn’t heat up for the Ramblers and Aztecs until the second inning when fourth-year catcher Abbie Gregus doubled to right center and brought in third-year infielder Skyler Croker. 

Aztec second-year infielder Quinn Waiki hit a sacrifice fly to bring third-year utility player Jazmin Williams home. San Diego State fourth-year outfielder Ally Dueker singled to left center and fourth-year catcher Jade Ignacio scored on a fielding error by first-year outfielder Megan Piotrowski. 

Williams hit a home run to right field and brought third-year pitcher and utility player Olivia Gigante past home plate for a 4-1 Aztec lead. 

Play was slow until the fifth inning where Aztec first-year infielder Andrea Tall stole home, and San Diego third-year outfielder Julie Holcomb reached home on a fielding error by Pawlowicz, strengthening the Aztec’s 6-1 lead. 

In the sixth inning, Gigante homered to center field, bringing in  Holcomb and Aztec second-year outfielder Mia Rodriguez, securing a 9-1 victory for San Diego after the mercy rule was called. 

Feb. 7 vs. University of Minnesota

Minnesota started action in the fourth inning with a single up the middle by Gophers second-year infielder Tinley Easton, bringing in redshirt first-year catcher and utility player Cassie Johnson for a run. 

Gophers third-year infielder Lucy Hooper singled, bringing fourth-year infielder Maggie Werner across the plate. Third-year Minnesota pitcher Jessa Snippes’ single brought Easton to the plate, and Minnesota third-year outfielder Brooklyn Jones’s sacrifice fly to right center brought first-year Gophers utility player Carter Raymond in for a run. 

Third-year catcher and utility player Tara Wolocko singled up the middle to bring in Hooper for a 5-0 Minnesota lead after the fourth inning. 

Hooper’s infield single to the pitcher’s mound in the fifth inning brought Johnson past the plate before Snippes singled to the shortstop, and Werner came home. Easton scored when Jones hit a grounder to the pitcher, and after the bottom of the fifth inning, mercy rule was evoked, and Minnesota won 8-0. 

Feb. 7 vs. University of Kentucky

Kentucky started action quickly in the first inning when Wildcat third-year outfielder Peyton Plotts homered to center field, bringing her and second-year utility player Allie Blum in to score. 

Play didn’t heat up again until the sixth inning, where Plotts homered to center field again, bringing Kentucky to a 3-0 lead. The seventh inning saw a Plotts double to bring in Clark and Blum for two more runs. 

Hamilton stole second base, and Plotts scored on the catcher’s throwing error to second. Hamilton scored two plays later on a fielding error by the first baseman, earning the 7-0 win for the Wildcats. 

Feb. 8 vs. Miami University Ohio

Action started in the second inning when second-year third and first baseman Addyson Borg homered to left field to guarantee runs for her, Gregus and Staden. 

The Redhawks responded with a homer by Miami third-year infielder Dantiza Hernandez, bringing herself, first-year outfielder Evey Dieudonne and first-year infielder Mia Estrello across the plate. 

Redhawks fourth-year outfielder Bailey Manos hit a home run to left field, gaining another run for Miami. Third-year infielder Ella Carter tripled to bring in Miami fourth-year outfielder Katy Olive to put the Redhawks in a 5-3 lead. 

Staden’s sacrifice fly in the third inning brought Sedakis across home plate, but Dieudonne’s single to left center brought Redhawks third-year infielder Erin Pinter in for another run. Manos hit a single to left center, and Dieudonne scored from second base, bringing the Redhawks to a 7-4 lead. 

Pawlowicz scored in the fourth inning off a fielding error by the shortstop, and third-year infielder Nat Lesnicki’s single to shortstop to bring fourth-year outfielder Sierra Sass across the plate. 

The sixth inning saw a Sass single to the second baseman, bringing Pawlowicz home, and the score to an even seven. 

The extra eighth inning started with a ground hit to the pitcher by second-year outfielder Averi Vander Woude, which allowed Pawlowicz to pass the plate for the Loyola lead. Pinter’s single up the middle brought home Redhawks third-year outfielder Kari Krueger and first-year outfielder Jeneva Mitchell to secure the 9-8 walk-off win for Miami. 

The Ramblers travel to Leesburg, Fla. Feb. 13-15 to participate in The Spring Games. Loyola’s first game is against the University of Southern Mississippi Feb. 13 at 2 p.m..