The Wolf Pack are unable to pull off the road upset against the Pilots
SHREVEPORT, La. – The Loyola University New Orleans baseball team took to the road for the first time this season, falling in two tough games against No. 25 LSU-Shreveport, 19-5 in game one and 5-2 in game two Wednesday night at Pilot Field.
The Wolf Pack (3-2) struck first in game one of the evening, as Zachary Cook led off with a single to left field before advancing on a single from Nathan Law. After Allen Dennis loaded the bases with another single for Loyola, Patrick Crifasi hit a ball out to center field, dropping it in for a single and allowing Cook to cross the plate.
The home team would respond with a run in both the first and second inning to take a 2-1 lead, before adding five more in the fifth and 12 in the sixth. Loyola would score a pair of runs in both the top of the sixth and seventh, but come up short and drop the first game of the night 19-5.
In game two, Loyola would hit the scoreboard to open it up once again. After Cook reached second base on a misplayed fly ball by the Pilots (12-0), Brandon Wilson Jr. connected on a pitch and sent it over the leftfield wall for the Pack's first home run of the season. The home team would respond in the bottom of the first with three runs to claim the lead however, and eventually hold on for the 5-2 victory over Loyola.
The Wolf Pack will remain on the road this weekend, as they travel to Texas for the Dallas Christian College Tournament, beginning with a 9:30 a.m. game against Park University on Friday, February 15.
Wolf Pack Head Coach Doug Faust
"In the first game, we swung the bats really well but couldn't get hits with guys in scoring position. We pitched well for just over four innings, but then the wheels came off, we started walking people and everytime we did they got some big hits like that grand slam. We weren't throwing enough strikes and gave them too many baserunners."
"But I'm proud of the way we bounced back in the second game, it was just a 3-2 game late. We pitched really well, but that's a very good team we played tonight. Offensively, I thought we swung the bats well ourselves, but they just made some timely hits. I told the guys we played a really good team tonight, and we should use this as a learning experience. We just have to get ready for our next games on Friday."
Pack Facts
In game one, Zachary Cook collected two hits with a double and scored the first run of the game.
Brandon Wilson Jr. hit the first home run of the season for Loyola tonight, sending a ball over the left field fence on a 2-0 count for a two-run big fly.
The junior is now 8-16 to start the season, with four runs scored, a double, home run and four RBI.
Six members of the Wolf Pack registered two hits in game one against the Pilots, Cook, Nathan Law, Wilson, Allen Dennis, Patrick Crifasi and Jase Biehl.
Lawrence Frishberg pitched his second clean inning of the season tonight, striking out two.
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.
