Loyola takes game one 4-1 before claiming a 3-2 win in the second game to move to 7-4 on the season
WESTWEGO, La. - Hosting the College of Saint Joseph in Vermont today for a doubleheader, the Loyola University New Orleans baseball team claimed two victories Wednesday night at Segnette Field with wins of 4-1 in game one, and 3-2 in game two.
The Wolf Pack (7-4) were fueled by a strong hitting performance in game one, recording 11 hits. The Fighting Saints (2-5) got on the scoreboard first, going up 1-0 in the top of the third inning. The Pack, however, would storm back to take the lead. Allen Dennis (FR/New Orleans, La.) doubled to left field before his pinch runner Jase Biehl (SO/Metairie, La.) was able to score on a single from Charlie Seiter (JR/Mobile, Ala.), tying the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Then in the fifth, Nathan Law (SO/Arab, Ala.) registered one of his three hits, this time a double, to bring Rawlings Elam (SR/Houston, Tx.) home as Loyola took a 2-1 lead. As Loyola's pitching staff kept Saint Joseph at bay, the Pack added two more in the bottom of the sixth, when Spencer Rosenbohm (SR/Daphne, Ala.) doubled to left field to bring Jesse Jordan (JR/New Iberia, La.) and Dennis across home. After the stellar five innings of work by Gary Cavallo Jr. (SO/Slidell, La.) in which he struck out four with no earned runs, both A.J. Smith (SO/Billings, Mt.) and Brendon Taravella came in to shut the door on the Fighting Saints.
In game two this evening the visitors took a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first, after sneaking in a run on a double steal to end the inning. The Pack responded however, after Dennis connected on a single that brought in Brandon Wilson Jr. (SO/Chalmette, La.) and Jordan. Loyola extended their lead in the second inning, with Biehl reaching on a walk before coming around to score on a double to right-center by Luke LaCoste (FR/Kenner, La.). The Wolf Pack's pitching staff kept the advantage on the home team's side, with strong performances by Wyatt Lankford (SO/Riverside, Ca.) of five innings, and Rosenbohm and Taravella, who each tossed one inning. The sophomore Lankford earned his second win on the season, while Taravella registered his second save of the day, and third this year.
The Wolf Pack remain at home this weekend, as they host Dallas Christian College for two doubleheaders on Friday, February 23rd at 4 p.m. and Saturday, February 24th at 12 p.m.
Wolf Pack Head Coach Doug Faust
"That was a good sweep for us to win two games. We pitched really well and for the most part, played really well on defense. A couple of timely hits in both games, and we scored enough. That's a good team and they'll only get better, being up in Vermont, they're in their southern swing. But they've won the last two Small College World Series, they're a good old veteran team that was a good test for us tonight. Especially after Saturday [against Louisiana College], coming back and seeing what we could do."
"I'm really happy with the effort and the way we went about business today. Like I said, we got clutch hits and then pitched really well in both games, so all in all, good sweep. Now we've got four games this weekend, and hope we continue playing well."
Pack Facts
The Wolf Pack registered 15 hits across tonight's two games, led by Allen Dennis and Nathan Law who each collected three.
In 14 total innings pitched today, Loyola struck out 11 batters, including four by Gary Cavallo Jr. in game one.
After going 3-3 in game one tonight, sophomore Nathan Law is now batting .471 (8-17).
The Pack were all over the base paths tonight, stealing four bases and now have 25 swiped bags in 11 games.
Jesse Jordan stole two bases tonight, one in each game and now has five on the year.
Loyola slapped six doubles in tonight's doubleheader, and now have 19 total.
You can keep up with the Pack this season by following Wolf Pack Athletics on Facebook at Facebook.com/LoyolaWolfPack, Twitter and Instagram @LoyolaWolfPack, and by checking out our website at LoyolaWolfPack.com
