Wolf Pack will take on No. 3 Faulkner University in a three-game series starting on Friday at 6:00 p.m.
Coming off a 9-3 victory at against Eureka College on Monday, the Loyola University New Orleans Baseball team returned to Segnette Field on Wednesday to take on NCCA Division II Spring Hill College in a doubleheader.
The Wolf Pack earned a split against the Badgers, dropping a close 6-5 decision in game one before claiming the dominating 7-0 victory in the nightcap.
Loyola improves to 16-15 overall following the twinbill. Conversely, Spring Hill moves to 14-9 after Wednesday's action.
Game 1: Loyola 5, Spring Hill 6
Jordan Wilson (SO/San Francisco, Ca. ) went 3-for-4 with a double and a RBI to lead Loyola in game one. Alexander Lorenzo (JR/Miami, Fla.) scored twice, added a triple and a walk, while Luis Anguizola (JR/David, Chiriqui, Panama), who has been on an absolute tear as of late, went 1-for-3 with a RBI in the loss.
On the mound, Stewart Campbell (JR/New Orleans, La.) (3-1) started the game for the Wolf Pack and provided five innings of work, allowing six earned runs on six hits, three walks and two strikeouts in the loss.
After giving up four runs in the first, Campbell settled down and only allowed two runs over the next four innings. Joseph Kuchler (SO/Metairie, La.) came on in relief and pitched two scoreless innings without allowing a hit.
Spring Hill took an early lead by piling on four runs in the opening half inning. The Wolf Pack stranded runners in each of the first four innings before they were able to get on the board. Trailing 5-0 after a solo home run from the Badgers in the fourth, the Wolf Pack bats came alive in the fifth inning.
Lance Liccardi, Lance Landry (FR/Marrero, La.) and Blake Toscano (JR/Metairie, La.) opened the fifth with consecutive walks to load the bases with no outs. Following a strike out, Anguizola flew out to deep centerfield which scored Liccardi from third to bring the score to 5-1. With runners on the corners, Lorenzo hit a bases-clearing triple to cut the deficit to 5-3. Wilson then stepped to the plate and smacked a double to deep leftfield scoring Lorenzo. With the score at 5-4, Britt Pellegrin (JR/Bourg, La.) smacked a single to left to score Wilson and knot the game at 5-5 heading in to the sixth inning.
In the top of the sixth, a Loyola error allowed a runner to reach base and then advance to third on consecutive wild pitches. Kuchler came on and forced a fly out, but it was deep enough to score the runner at third and give Spring Hill the lead at 6-5.
The Wolf Pack were able to get two on the bottom of the seventh but stranded both runners and fell 6-5 in game one.
Game Two: Loyola 7, Spring Hill 0
The heart of the Wolf Pack order shined against the Badgers in game two, accounting for six hits, four runs and six RBI. Lorenzo led the way, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored. Anguizola and Wilson each added two RBI, with Anguizola collecting his NAIA-leading 22nd double of the year.
Jason Roussel (SO/Baton Rouge, La.) (1-0) got his first win of the season after allowing no runs on seven hits with five strikeouts in seven innings pitched.
With two outs in the bottom of the third and the score tied at 0-0, back-to-back doubles by Anguizola and Lorenzo put two runners on with two outs. Anguizola scored on a batted ball to give the home team the 1-0 advantage after three innings.
Roussel kept the Badgers off the board for the next two innings and with the score still 1-0, the Wolf Pack looked to put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Lorenzo singled to center to score Spencer Rosenbohm (SO/Daphne, Ala.) and advance Rawlings Elam (SO/Houston, Tx.) to second. Wilson followed with a doubled then both Elam and Lorenzo scored on a batted ball to put the Wolf Pack up 4-0 heading in to the sixth.
Up 4-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Loyola once again utilized Spring Hill mistakes to its advantage. Capitalizing on three batted balls, the Wolf Pack tacked on three more runs in the inning to extend the advantage to 7-0 entering the final inning of play.
The Badgers landed two men on in the top of the seventh inning but both would be left stranded as a pop up ended the inning and the game with Loyola getting the 7-0 victory.
The Wolf Pack will hit the road on Friday, March 19, for a three-game series with No. 3 Faulkner University. First pitch of Friday's single game is set for 6:00 p.m.
