Loyola University New Orleans baseball got off to a good start in its three-game weekend series versus No. 14 Belhaven, defeating the Blazers 5-3 tonight at Segnette Field.
FRI, 02/27/2015
(New Orleans, La.) Loyola University New Orleans baseball got off to a good start in its three-game weekend series versus No. 14 Belhaven, defeating the Blazers 5-3 tonight at Segnette Field.
Joel Buhler pitched an excellent game against a very capable Belhaven (11-8, 2-5 SSAC) squad, giving up just two earned runs on five hits in six innings to earn the win for Loyola. Buhler also struck out eight Belhaven batters. Nick Moore was solid in relief for the Pack, allowing one run in three innings of work. Moore struck out four and picked up the first save of his Wolf Pack career.
The first half of the game was a pitchers duel between Buhler and Belhaven's Ben Allison. Both teams had their chances in the first three innings but neither was able to push any runs across. The Wolf Pack (11-6, 3-4 SSAC) came up with the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning as Andrew Fournet hit a blooping single down the right field line to score Joseph Kuchler, who had reached base on a walk earlier in the inning.
Belhaven finally broke through in the top of the fifth, scoring two runs off of Buhler to take a 2-1 lead over Loyola. Loyola countered with another run in the bottom of the inning, tying the game at 2-2 off of a Carmelo LoSauro RBI single up the middle.
Buhler held the Blazers scoreless in the top of the sixth before the Wolf Pack exploded for three runs in the bottom of the inning. With Allen Newman on third and Fournet on second and two outs on the board, Lorenzo hit a screaming line drive to left field, driving in both Newman and Fournet to give the Pack a two run lead. John Nicholson followed that up by crushing a double to deep left center to score Lorenzo and give Loyola another insurance run.
Moore came in for Buhler to pitch the seventh inning, and although he got into a little bit of trouble, he managed to work out of it thanks to some superior fielding by Nicholson. The Blazers loaded the bases with no outs and it looked as if they would have at least one run cross the plate. But Nicholson made a diving play on a ground ball hit by Adam Kowalczyk, tagged third base for the force out and threw home to catcher Lance Licciardi, who put the tag on the Belhaven runner to complete the double play. On the next play, Nicholson fielded another ground ball and stepped on third base for the third out, and the Wolf Pack escaped the inning with no runs by Belhaven.
Moore pitched another scoreless inning in the top of the eighth and stayed on in the ninth inning to close out the game and earn the save.
Lorenzo continued his hot hitting tonight, going 3-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Nicholson was 2-3 with an RBI double while Fournet finished 1-3 with an RBI and a run.
Allison took the loss for Belhaven, giving up five earned runs in 5.2 innings. Will Mullen was the only member of the Blazers to total multiple hits tonight, going 2-4. Gabe Wilson was 1-3 with one RBI and a run scored.
Loyola and Belhaven will finish up the series with a doubleheader tomorrow, starting at 1 p.m. at Segnette Field.
