Softball Opens 2017 Season at Madeira Beach Tournament

Friday, February 24

Madeira Beach, FL

11 am

Brown University

0-1

Loyola University Chicago

6-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Brown	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	2	0
Loyola Chicago	3	0	0	1	0	1	X	5	5	3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Eastern Michigan	1	0	1	1	1	0	0	4	9	0
Brown	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	3

Softball Opens 2017 Season at Madeira Beach Tournament

2/24/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – Brown University softball dropped a 5-2 decision to Loyola University Chicago and a 4-0 decision to Eastern Michigan University on Opening Day on Friday afternoon at the Madeira Beach Tournament.

The Bears (0-2) pulled within 3-2 of the Ramblers (6-0) in their first game and loaded the bases in the seventh against the tournament host Eagles (4-4) before falling in both contests.

Freshmen Raquel Blanchard (Valencia, Calif.) and Sarah Fringer (Macomb Township, Mich.) each went 2-for-3 at the plate against EMU while junior pitcher Katie Orona (Pueblo, Colo.) tossed a complete game against the Eagles.

Next, Brown continues play at the Madeira Beach Tournament tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 24, at 4:00 p.m. against Albany.

Game 1: Loyola Chicago 5, Brown 2

Brown rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to pull within 3-2, but Loyola Chicago scored once in the fourth and once in the sixth to take a 5-2 win in the Bears' season opener on Field 1 at the Madeira Beach Tournament.

Senior Christina Andrews (Southlake, Texas) and junior Annie McGregor (Carlsbad, Calif.) posted one hit apiece while junior Grayson Metzger (Severna Park, Md.) drove in a run for the Bears.

In her first collegiate start, sophomore pitcher Meghan Wimmer (Boothwyn, Pa.) went 5.1 innings, allowing five runs, all earned, on four hits and six walks with two strikeouts in the loss (0-1). Freshman Emily Waters (Northridge, Calif.) also made her debut, recording the Bears' final two outs.

After the Ramblers went ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the first, Brown responded with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to cut the margin to 3-2. Metzger brought home the Bears' first run with a suicide squeeze bunt before McGregor scored on a first-and-third steal play.

Loyola added a run in the bottom of the fourth on a ground out and another in the last of the sixth on a single to close the win.

For Loyola, Katie Kasubke hit a two-run homer while Brooke Wilson went 2-for-2 with two runs scored.

Kiley Jones went the distance for the Ramblers, striking out three and conceding two runs on two hits and two walks over seven innings.

Game 2: Eastern Michigan 4, Brown 0

Brown loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh but fell to Eastern Michigan, 4-0, in its second game of the day at the Madeira Beach Tournament on Friday on Field 2.

Blanchard and Fringer each went 2-for-3 at the plate while Metzger and sophomore Ashli Lotz (Austin, Texas) tallied one hit apiece.

In the circle, Orona tossed a complete game seven innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on nine hits with one walk in the loss (0-1).

For EMU, pitcher Abbie Minsker threw a complete game, permitting no runs on six hits and five walks with seven strikeouts.

The Bears loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh with a single from Fringer and walks from Metzger and senior Julia Schoenewald (Jamison, Pa.) helping to fuel the rally before the Eagles worked themselves out of the frame without allowing a run.

Eastern Michigan tallied one run in each of the first, third, fourth, and fifth innings with an RBI single plating the run in each frame.

Brandice Olmos (3-for-4) and Michelle Kriegshauer (2-for-3 with two runs scored) led the Eagles at the plate.