Horizon League Softball Championship Game 10: Loyola 2, Butler 1

May 9, 2008

CHICAGO - Loyola University Chicago rallied to defeat Butler University 2-1 in game 10 of the Horizon League Championship at Loyola Softball Park. The Ramblers will await the winner of the University of Wisconsin-Green-Valparaiso University pairing. The Bulldogs were eliminated from the tournament following the loss.

Loyola improved to 20-24-1 on the year and Butler finished the season with a 17-29 mark.

Sophomore Amy Solava evened her 2008 record to 14-14. In addition, Solava also hit the go-ahead home run in the bottom half of the sixth inning. In the circle, Solava worked 7.0 innings, struck out six, allowed one run and walked just one batter.

Butler sophomore right-hander Jennifer Chasteen suffered the loss and fell to 2-5 on the year.

The Ramblers, which trailed 1-0 after five innings appeared to be on the brink of elimination; prior to today's game, LU had a record of just 2-14 when trailing after five innings, but the Ramblers scored a pair of runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning to secure the victory.

Both teams were held scoreless until the top half of the fourth inning when Butler took a 1-0 lead thanks to a solo home run by senior Jenny Jacobs down the leftfield line. Jacobs' solo shot was her third round-tripper of the year.

Loyola threatened in the bottom half of the fourth as it put its first two runners on base. Senior Kat Krause got the inning started as she doubled down the leftfield line and then advanced to third on a fielding error. Freshman Haley Ambrosch came up next and drew a walk, which knocked BU starter Nikki Naffziger out of the game.

Chasteen came on in relief to strike out Ashley Ambrosch and then got Solava to hit a soft chopper to first baseman Amy Hyerczyk, who quickly threw out Krause at home. Chasteen then got out of the jam by getting Loyola freshman Jenna Grim to fly out.

The Ramblers took a 2-1 lead two innings later after Solava drilled a two-run home run to centerfield. Solava's two-run shot was just her third home run of the year.

Solava returned to the circle in the top half of the seventh and closed out the Bulldogs as she allowed just one hit in the final frame to preserve the victory.

For complete coverage of the 2008 Horizon League Softball Championship check out the tournament homepage at www.horizonleague.org.