QU Softball Splits Doubleheader, Earns First Win of 2016 Against Loyola

Saturday, February 20

Chicago, IL

10:00 AM

Quinnipiac University

0-2

Western Illinois University

1-5

Quinnipiac

Western Illinois

QU Softball Splits Doubleheader, Earns First Win of 2016 Against Loyola

2/20/2016 3:20:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Miranda Magana Goes 3-for-6 on the Day, Sydney Robey Picks Up the Win

By: QU Sports Information

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Quinnipiac softball team split a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at the Total Control Sports Invitational in Chicago. The Bobcats fell to Western Illinois, 6-2, in the opening game before picking up their first win of 2016 with a 5-3 victory over Loyola of Chicago. Sophomore Miranda Magana (Santa Paula, California) led the Bobcat offense on the day, going 3-for-6 with a run scored, an RBI and a walk.

In the first game against Western Illinois, the Bobcats were unable to comeback from an early 4-0 deficit. WIU crossed four runs in the first inning including two unearned, off three hits and an error. A one out single put the first runner on for the Fighting Leathernecks followed by a two out double to put runners on second and third. After a hit batter loaded the bases, WIU scored the first two runs of the game off their second double of the inning. Two more runs came across to score on an error by the Quinnipiac defense.

Western Illinois took a 6-0 lead after runners came across to score in both the third and fourth innings. In the top of the fifth, the Bobcats were able to capture their first run of the day. Magana led off the inning with a single to center field and advanced to second off freshman Erin Larsen's (Orlando, Florida) first career hit. With one out, Emily Czaja (Palmer, Massachusetts) knocked an RBI double to right center, cutting the WIU advantage to 6-1.

In the top of the sixth, freshman Sarah Heimbach (Greenwich, New York) led off the inning with a double to left center, her first career hit in a Bobcat uniform. Heimbach came around to score after back-to-back fly balls by Quinnipiac. Freshman Autumn Martin (Riverside, California) recorded her first career RBI with the sacrifice fly.

After putting the Fighting Leathernecks down in order in the bottom of the sixth, Quinnipiac was unable to complete the comeback in their final at bats of the game.

The Bobcats bounced back in their second contest of the afternoon, defeating the Loyola Ramblers, 5-3. Senior Sydney Robey (Glenmore, Pennsylvania) picked up the win on the mound, pitching a complete game and allowing two earned runs while striking out three batters. Magana was 2-for-3 with an RBI while senior Dani Edmands (Northborough, Massachusetts) also went 2-for-3 from the plate, adding a walk and a run scored.

After a scoreless first inning, the Bobcats took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Two walks and two fielder's choices loaded the bases for Quinnipiac with one out. Sophomore Maria Ascher (Little Canada, Minnesota) reached on an error while pushing the game's first runner across the plate.

In the bottom of the third, Loyola took a 2-1 advantage off two hits and an error. With runners on first and second, a Rambler double followed by a Quinnipiac error led to two runs for Loyola.

The Bobcats regained the lead with two runs in the top of the fourth. Junior Keilani Finley (Alameda, California) led off the inning with a double down the right field line. Finley advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before coming around to score on an RBI bunt single by Molly Jarrett (Northport, New York). Quinnipiac then took a 3-2 lead off Ascher's double to left center field.

The back and forth game continued in the bottom of the inning with Loyola tying the game off an RBI double.

In their last at bats, Quinnipiac took the lead for good. The Bobcats scored two runs in the top of the seventh of three hits. Heimbach and Edmands hit back-to-back singles to begin the inning and Magana stepped up to the plate with runners on first and second. The sophomore recorded the game-winning RBI with a single up the middle. Finley's sacrifice fly then scored the fifth Bobcat run.

In the bottom of the inning, Robey found herself in a jam with runners on first and second, needing just one out to end the game. The next batter hit a ground ball back at Robey who fired it to first for the final out.

Quinnipiac resumes play in the Total Control Sports Invitational with their final game of the tournament on Sunday, Feb. 21. The Bobcats will take on the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay at 10 a.m.