The Wolf Pack had a 3-1 lead late in the first game and a 7-1 lead late in the second game, but the Wildcats stormed back in both games to steal two wins from the Pack.
FRI, 04/17/2015
Box Score - Loyola 3, Bethel 4
Box Score - Loyola 7, Bethel 8
(McKenzie, Tenn.) In each game of today's doubleheader against Bethel University, it looked as if Loyola University New Orleans baseball would come away with a crucial conference win. The Wolf Pack had a 3-1 lead late in the first game and a 7-1 lead late in the second game, but the Wildcats stormed back in both games to steal two wins from the Pack, taking the first game 4-3 and the second by a score of 8-7.
Loyola (22-25, 8-18 SSAC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the first game as Rawlings Elam scored off a John Nicholson single in the first inning and an Alexander Lorenzo double scored Britt Pellegrin in the second. Bethel (14-22, 10-12 SSAC) scored one run in the bottom of the second but Wolf Pack starting pitcher Kevin Lindsey shut down the Wildcats for the next three innings as the Pack maintained a 2-1 advantage going into the sixth inning.
Loyola was able to add to its lead in the top of the sixth when Nicholson scored on a Bethel wild throw, giving the Pack a two-run advantage. But a two run lead would not be enough. Bethel scored three runs, beginning with a home run from Ismael Sanchez, on four hits in the bottom of the sixth inning to take its first lead of the game, 4-3. Bethel starting pitcher Garrett Perry then retired the Loyola side in order in the top of the seventh, and the Wildcats escaped with the victory.
Both Lindsey and Perry went the distance with Perry earning the win and Lindsey taking the loss. Perry allowed two earned runs and struck out five while Lindsey surrendered four earned runs and had one strike out.
Luis Anguizola was the only Pack batter with more than one hit, going 2-3 with two singles. Elam, Nicholson, Pellegrin and Lorenzo all had one hit each.
The Wolf Pack took a commanding 7-1 lead in the fifth inning of the second game today after scoring two runs in the first, one in the second, one in the fourth and three in the fifth. Loyola totaled 12 hits through the first five innings, highlighted by a Luis Anguizola two-run home run in the first inning, his third of the season.
As good as the Pack was through the first five innings, however, Bethel was even better over the final four. The Wildcats scored three runs on four hits in the bottom of the sixth inning, and three more runs on four hits in the bottom of the seventh to bring the Wolf Pack and the Cats even at six apiece.
Loyola advanced runners to first and third in the top of the eighth with just one out, but Anguizola grounded into a double play to end the inning. Again in the top of the ninth the Pack advanced runners to first and third with one out, but two consecutive strikeouts put an end to that threat.
With two down and no runners on base for Bethel in the bottom of the ninth, it appeared as if the game was heading for extra innings. But Chase Howell doubled down the left line and Clayton Parker followed that up with a walk-off single to give Bethel another come from behind win over Loyola.
Nolan Smith pitched just 0.2 innings in relief for the Wildcats, but he is credited for the win, his first of the season.
Anguizola, Lorenzo, Carmelo LoSauro and Joseph Kuchler all had multi-hit games for the Wolf Pack. Lorenzo scored two runs and drove in one while Anguizola finished with two runs and two RBI. Both of LoSauro's hits were doubles.
With hits in both games today, Anguizola and Pellegrin each extend their hitting streaks to eight games.
Loyola and Bethel will wrap up the series tomorrow in McKenzie, Tenn. at 1 p.m.
