Defeating the Bulldogs in game one 6-1, the Pack swept the doubleheader at home with a 6-4 victory in game two
WESTWEGO, La. - Returning home for a weekday doubleheader, the Loyola University New Orleans baseball team took both games against Tougaloo College Tuesday evening at Segnette Field, 6-1 in the first and 6-4 in game two.
The Wolf Pack (19-25) jumped on the board early, after Charlie Seiter doubled to right field and later came around to score on a wild pitch in the first inning. Jesse Jordan would score the second run of the game in the second to put the Pack up 2-0, after Michael Toscano pitched two clean innings to start the day off.
While the Bulldogs (15-20) plated a run in the top of the fourth, Loyola retaliated in the bottom of the inning, when Spencer Rosenbohm reached on a fielder's choice and was brought in later on a single from Mick Dubic. In the bottom of the fifth, Zachary Cook reached on a walk to lead it off, with Charlie Seiter doubling in the next at-bat to bring him home. Seiter scored the second run of the inning, and the fifth of the game for Loyola on a single up the middle by Payton Alexander, who would later cross home on a sacrifice squeeze by Jordan. The Wolf Pack would claim the victory in game one by a final score of 6-1, with Toscano earning his second victory on the season.
Loyola's bats kept the momentum in favor of the home team to begin game number two, plating three runs in the first inning, all with two outs. After Allen Dennis reached base on a walk, Alexander connected on his fourth home run of the season over the left field wall. The next batter to the plate, Ben Condara, singled to left-center and promptly stole second base, advancing to third on a wild throw from the cather. A second wild throw in the inning, this time from the pitcher, allowed Condara to reach home.
The Pack added two more runs in the second inning on a two-RBI single from Dennis to short, giving them a 5-0 advantage. After Tougaloo chipped away at the lead, scoring a run in the third and three more in the fifth, Loyola tacked on one more in the bottom of the fifth on a sac-fly from Nathan Law that plated Alexander.
Coming on in the fifth inning, Gary Cavallo Jr. would shut the door on the visiting Bulldogs for the final three innings, helping to seal the 6-4 win for the Pack.
Loyola will remain at home this weekend, hosting No. 11 William Carey for a three game series beginning with a single game Friday night at 6 p.m.
Wolf Pack Head Coach Doug Faust
"It's always good to sweep a doubleheader, especially coming off of the rough month we had in March. We're playing with a little more confidence now, expecting more good things to happen. Today, I thought we pitched really well, played really well defensively, and we had enough real good at-bats in big spots. The big hit of the day was Allen Dennis's two-out, two-run single, and then Payton Alexander hit the home run, so that was big to get a lead."
"Pitching-wise, it was difficult trying to manage a doubleheader between two three-game conference series. You don't want to overthrow the guys who might throw in conference, you want to throw enough of them to win, but you also need some young guys to step up at some point and go out and get it done for us. Fortunately, the guys who were a little more experienced were able to finish both games and get us some wins."
"It's always good to get a sweep. Hopefully we keep playing well heading into this weekend with William Carey."
Pack Facts
Freshman Payton Alexander went yard in game two today for his fourth home run of the season.
Alexander was a combined 2-4 with three runs scored, three RBI, the big fly in game two, two walks and one stolen base today.
Zachary Cook extended his hitting streak to eight games today, and is now batting .414 (12/29) with eight runs scored, two doubles, three RBI and four stolen bases during that stretch.
The Pack ran wild on the base paths today, with nine different players recording a stolen base and swiping 10 total across both games.
Five pitchers came out of the pen and pitched a clean sheet, not allowing an earned run today: A.J. Smith, Lawrence Frishberg, Wyatt Lankford, Brenden Taravella and Gary Cavallo Jr.
Game two starter Spencer Rosenbohm made his 10th appearance on the mound this season today and has now allowed one earned run or less in nine of his appearances.
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.
