After trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning and responding with 10 runs for the 11-3 win in game one, the Pack take game two 5-4 with a walk-off single
WESTWEGO, La. - In a doubleheader with Dakota State University, the Loyola University New Orleans baseball team claimed game one 11-3 before winning game two with a walk-off single 5-4 Monday night at Segnette Field.
The Trojans (0-4) were first to strike today, plating a run off of Spencer Rosenbohm in the first inning. The senior for the Wolf Pack (15-7) settled in however, striking out four over the next three innings to keep the visitors from adding to their run total. Loyola tied the game at one in the fourth inning, when Jesse Jordan smacked a ball over the left field wall for his first homer on the season. Dakota State responded in the following inning, reclaiming the lead 2-1 before adding a third run in the top of the sixth.
Down two, the Wolf Pack looked to cut into their deficit, but instead found themselves on an offensive explosion in the bottom of the sixth. Zachary Cook singled up the middle to get the inning started, before Jordan collected one of his four hits on the day right after. Allen Dennis was able to extend his hitting streak to 12 games with an RBI single that scored Cook, before Ben Condara hit a double down the third baseline, bringing in both Jordan and Dennis. With the bases eventually loaded, Condara came in to score after Michael Toscano drew the walk, with Gabriel Trastoy doing the same during the next at bat.
Up for the second time in the inning, Cook singled yet again, this time bringing Brandon Wilson Jr. in to score, with Jordan following that up with an RBI double. Coming in as a pinch-hitter, Tre Mouriz hit a single that brought in both Cook and Jordan, bringing Loyola's run total for the inning to 10, and giving them an 11-3 lead. A.J. Smith would enter the game for the Pack and close it out, sealing the game one victory.
In game two, the Trojans were first on the scoreboard again, as they brought in two in the top of the second inning. In the bottom of the inning however, Condara connected on his first home run of the season to bring it within one. The visitors added to their total in the fourth, plating one more, before the Pack tied it back up when Cook hit a two-RBI double.
Dakota State would reclaim the lead yet again in the following inning, going up 4-3 after five innings of play. Freshman Kyle Higginbotham kept the game within one in the sixth inning, before Jordan would come around to score from second base on a single by John Hernandez. Making his 11th appearance on the season, freshman Brenden Taravella came in to pitch the seventh inning, striking out the side to put the tie-game in Loyola's hands in the bottom of the seventh.
In his fourth at-bat of the game, Charlie Seiter singled up the middle to lead off the inning, before moving over to second on a balk by the Trojan pitcher. The visitors then intentionally walked Condara, bringing Toscano to the plate. The freshman from Metairie, La. slapped a ball at the second baseman, who tagged out Condara, but allowed Seiter to advance to third. After getting the start as the designated hitter, Mick Dubic stepped up to the plate, connecting on the first pitch he saw for a single to center field to bring home the winning run and seal the 5-4 walk-off win for Loyola.
The Wolf Pack will return to conference play this weekend, heading to Blue Mountain, Miss. to face Blue Mountain College, beginning with a doubleheader on Friday March 9th at noon.
Wolf Pack Head Coach Doug Faust
"It's always good to win a doubleheader. I knew that we'd be a little flat getting in so late last night after playing a conference series this past weekend. The effort wasn't there early, and neither was the intensity. Credit goes to their pitcher [Connor Nagel], he did a good job of keeping us off balance. We put a bunch of good hits and at-bats together in that sixth inning to blow it open."
"All in all, our pitchers did a good job keeping us around and in the game. In the second game, we had some good at-bats, and we had some tough breaks go against us. We found a way to get through it. Two big hits by two seniors, Ben Condara had the big double in the first game, which is what your seniors are supposed to do in big spots. Then he had the home run in the second game. John Hernandez had the big hit to tie the game in game two, and then Mick dubic with the big hit to win the game. It's always good to see seniors contribute and help us win games like this, they've been through a lot here."
Pack Facts
In the sixth inning of game one Loyola scored 10 runs, their most in an inning this year, and the most in a single inning since last plating 10 in the third inning of a 17-4 win over Rust College on February 4th, 2016.
First Baseman Allen Dennis extended his hitting streak to 12 games in game one today, but lost it in game two. He batted .485 (16-33) with 10 runs scored, 16 RBI, four doubles and three home runs during the streak.
Jesse Jordan remained hot today, going a combined 5-5 with four runs scored, three RBI, a double, and a home run.
Jordan has now recorded a hit in 10 of his last 12 games, half of which were multi-hit games, and is batting .500 (19-38) with nine runs scored, 10 RBI, five doubles, a home run and five stolen bases.
Senior Ben Condara hit his first homer of the season, and fifth in his career.
Freshman closer Brenden Taravella has now pitched six-straight games without allowing a run, and earned his first win of his career today in game two.
After striking out all three batters he faced, Taravella now has a team-best 24 K's this season.
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.
