Minneapolis, Minn. – The Crown softball team continued their hot start to the 2016 season with a split over Loras College on Saturday morning.  After falling 7-1 in the first game of the doubleheader, the Storm came back for a 4-2 win to improve to 3-1 on the season.

Loras, who was coming off a sweep of Minnesota Morris the day before, used a four-run third inning to do the bulk of their damage, cruising to a 7-1 win.  Sarah Petkau doubled home Marissa Becerra in the sixth to score Crown's lone run.

The second game against Loras would play out differently as the Storm rebounded from an uncharacteristically rocky defensive performance in game one to play a very solid game two.  Cearra Dulaney continued her excellent work from the circle, throwing a complete game to lead Crown to the 4-2 win.  The lefty allowed just six baserunners over seven innings, striking out two and allowing one earned run. 

Amanda Morrison dealt the big blow for the Storm, singling home a pair of runs in the second inning.  Crown got two more in the third, the first on a double-steal involving Janelle Williams and Kaitlin Ruiter.  Cassidy Valenzuela, who went 2-2 with a walk and a pair of doubles, got the first of her extra base hits later in the inning to plate Crown's fourth run of the game. 

Crown now looks forward to the warm weather of Arizona as the Storm will play their next 10 games in the Grand Canyon State before returning home for a string of home games at the end of the month.