AUSTIN, Texas (February 17, 2023) – Loyola (3-4) split Day 1 at the Texas Classic, earning a 5-0 shutout over Incarnate Word before falling 11-4 to No. 9 Texas in the nightcap. The Ramblers will play the same two teams tomorrow at McCombs Field.
Game 1 // Loyola 5, Incarnate Word 0
Loyola jumped out to a 4-0 first-inning lead following back-to-back RBI knocks from
Tori Boysen and
Jocelyn Currie, which proved more than enough offense behind
Peyton Pepkowski's three-hit gem.
Pepkowski (3-1) struck out eight and walked three en route to her sixth career shutout, and first of the season. The sophomore right-hander escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth by inducing a 6-2-3 double play, then proceeded to retire the final six of seven batters she faced.
The Ramblers grabbed a 1-0 lead when
Sierra Sass drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk, as UIW starter Samantha Portillo was lifted from the game after surrendering five walks in the first inning. Then, Boysen singled to plate two more runs when she deposited an 0-2 pitch to right center. Currie stepped up next and singled up the middle to make it 4-0.
Loyola tacked on another run in the fourth when
Madison Ebeling crossed the plate following a pair of Cardinal errors.
The Ramblers outhit the Cardinals 7-3, led by Boysen with two knocks including her first double of the season. Ebeling, Currie,
Amelia Thomas,
Haley Wallace and
Hannah Nalley each registered a base hit. Freshman shortstop Giselle Villarreal collected two hits for the Cardinals.
Game 2 // Texas 11, Loyola 4
In a game that saw four errors committed by both teams, Texas plated seven runs in the second inning and three in the third, before Loyola got on the board with a run in the fourth.
The Ramblers added three more in the fifth as Thomas and Wallace scored before
Sydney Barnett drove in the final run for the Ramblers, plating
Ava Bieneman with an infield single. All four runs for Loyola were unearned.
Loyola tallied seven hits with seven different players collecting a single, including Nalley who extended her hitting streak to six games.
Texas racked up 15 hits and scored its final run on a solo homer from catcher Vanessa Quiroga.
Andie Broniewicz (2.2) and
Bailey Johnson (3.1) each took the circle for the Ramblers as the duo combined for just two earned runs allowed.
Up Next
Loyola's and UIW will meet again Saturday at 12:30 p.m. CT, followed by an estimated 5:30 p.m. CT first pitch against Texas.
