IMPERIAL, Mo. – The University of Chicago baseball team began its season on a high note with a 5-1 victory against Loras College on Saturday afternoon.

The Maroons improved to 1-0 while the Duhawks fell to 0-4.

UChicago pitching kept Loras hitters at bay all throughout. The Maroons tallied more strikeouts (7) than hits allowed (6) over the course of nine innings. Sophomore Sam Bennett earned the win in his five-inning start that included fours strikeouts, three hits, one walk and one run allowed. First-year Michael Allegri tossed three innings of scoreless relief and senior Patrick Rogers closed out the ninth.

Offensively, the Maroons wasted no time. Four straight batters reached base in the first inning, which included an RBI double by sophomore Carson Weekley and a run-scoring groundout by junior Joseph Burns. Then in the fifth, junior Brian Lyle and senior Payton Jancsy each knocked RBI singles. The game's final run came in on Jancsy's fielder's choice in the seventh.

Sophomore Benjamin Rosengard provided three of the team's 12 hits on the day. Lyle, Jancsy and Weekley accounted for two hits apiece.

NEXT GAMES:

• Sunday, Mar. 1 @ 11:00 AM – UChicago vs. Illinois Wesleyan University (DH) (at Imperial, Mo.)