The Loyola offense scores 22 runs between games two and three of the series to move to 9-6 on the season
WESTWEGO, La. – Behind another day of hot offense, the Loyola University New Orleans baseball team picked up a pair of victories over Rust College, 13-4 in game one and 9-2 in game two of the day on Sunday at Segnette Field.
A solid start in the first game of the day from Wyatt Lankford kept the visitors off the scoreboard, allowing the bats for the Wolf Pack (9-6) to claim the early lead. After Jesse Jordan and Brandon Wilson Jr. were given free passes to first base in the bottom of the first, Payton Alexander connected on a pitch for a single to put Loyola on the board 1-0. A double from Jase Biehl later in the inning brought in two more, giving Lankford a four-run cushion early.
In the third inning, the Pack jumped out even further on the Bearcats (1-10) with six more runs, highlighted by a three-run home run on a first-pitch swing over the left field wall. While the visitors snuck in to the run column with one in the top of the fourth, each team added three more in the sixth to set the final score at 13-4, the second-straight game Loyola plated 13 runs.
In game two, the start was given to Brenden Taravella, who tallied five strikeouts in five innings pitched to earn his second win of the season. The Wolf Pack offense was able to give the sophomore pitcher four runs in the third inning, as an RBI-single from Nathan Law plated the first run of the game. After Rust College walked in a run for Loyola, a two-RBI single from Michael Toscano put the Pack on top 4-0.
While the visitors added two runs in the top of the fourth inning, Loyola responded with two more of their own on a double from Law. The Wolf Pack would add a few more insurance runs through the remainder of the game, eventually claiming the three-game series sweep on a 9-2 victory.
Loyola will remain at home to start this week and host Spring Hill College on Tuesday for a single game at 5 p.m. at Segnette Field.
Wolf Pack Head Coach Doug Faust
"All six pitchers threw well, especially the starters. We played well defensively again, even though we made a couple of mistakes in the second game, we also threw about four or five guys out on the bases which took away some big hits. We swung the bats well in the first game, not as well in the second game obviously, but we did take advantage of the one inning they built for us with a couple of walks, and we got two-out hits after that. We've played 15 games, now it's just about being better the next 15 games than we were this 15, and trying to constantly improve as conference gets here."
Pack Facts
Nathan Law extended his hitting streak to seven games with a 2-2 performance in game number two today, bringing in three RBI and coming around to score twice.
In game one, Allen Dennis smacked his fifth home run of the year on the first pitch of his third at-bat.
The sophomore now has 16 RBI, which leads the team.
Loyola ran wild today with 11 stolen bases, as Zachary Cook, Jase Biehl, Jesse Jordan and Nathan Law each stole 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.
