May 8, 2008

Box Score

CHICAGO - No. 3 seed Wright State (30-24) scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to stun fourth-seeded Loyola University Chicago (19-24-1), 4-3, tonight at Loyola Softball Park in Horizon League Championship action. With the loss, the Ramblers drop into the loser's bracket and will face either Butler or Youngstown State Friday at 4 p.m.

Loyola, which was the visiting team as the lower seed, jumped all over Wright State starter Sharon Palma in the top of the first inning and capitalized on a pair of Raider errors. Three straight singles to start the game loaded the bases for the Ramblers and two runs scored when Angie Funston reached on a throwing error to give Loyola a 2-0 lead. The Ramblers added one more run in their first at-bat when Nora Schober scored on a throwing error by WSU catcher Bri Birl.

The game was a pitcher's duel from that point until the seventh inning. Loyola starter Amy Solava allowed only one hit, a Louie Haney single up the middle to lead off the fourth inning, through the first six frames.

Although Solava was able to silence the Wright State bats for six innings, the Raiders mounted a threat to start the bottom of the seventh. After loading the bases with nobody out, Wright State saw its rally temporarily halted when Solava fanned Haney for the first out of the inning. Allison Cox followed with a two-run single off of Funston's glove and into left field to cut the Loyola lead to 3-2.

A wild pitcher moved the runners up to second and third and following a walk to Mollie Berry, Birl ripped a single up the middle just past a diving Bridget Lally to score pinch runners Michelle Logan and Malerie Klingler as Wright State capped an improbable comeback.

Schober went 3 for 3, stole a base and scored a run to lead a Loyola offense that scattered eight hits off of Palma. Ellen Kresl also tallied a pair of hits to push her season average to .408 as she attempts to shatter the Loyola single-season record for batting average (.389).

Play at the Horizon League Championship continues at Loyola Softball Park tomorrow beginning at 9 a.m. Friday's schedule is listed below.

Friday, May 9
Butler vs. Youngstown State, 9 a.m.
Detroit vs. Green Bay, 11 a.m.
UIC vs. Wright State, 1 p.m.
Loyola vs. Butler/Youngstown State winner, 4 p.m.
Valparaiso vs. Detroit/Green Bay winner, 6 p.m.
Cleveland State vs. Wright State/UIC winner, 8 p.m.