Box Score The Wolf Pack baseball team has now won three straight games, and they've won the last two with walk-off hits
WESTWEGO, La. – The Loyola Wolf Pack baseball team is proving they can thrive under pressure. After taking down No. 9 Freed-Hardeman on a walk-off Sunday, the Wolf Pack did it again to LSU Alexandria Friday, beating the Generals 11-10 off a Kaleb Fontenot single with the bases loaded in the ninth.
It's also the second straight game a freshman came through for the Pack, as freshman Kason Cullins delivered the game-winning hit over the Lions Sunday.
Loyola is now 8-5 overall after its third straight win Friday, and it'll meet back up with LSU Alexandria again Saturday for a doubleheader starting at noon.
Tied 10-10, Tucker Ganley started the bottom of the ninth with a single to right then pinch-runner Aaron Davis moved to second after Payton Alexander's sacrifice bunt. Michael Calamari and Allen Dennis were walked to put two on with one out, and Fontenot, who entered the game in the eighth, looped one into right field to bring home Davis for the game-winning run.
The Loyola offense was hot most of the night, scoring runs in six of the nine innings. It started off with lone runs in the first and second innings, as Dennis picked up an RBI in the first while Davis scored on one of two LSUA errors.
With Loyola leading 2-0, the two teams combined for 11 runs in the third inning, which made it a 7-6 Wolf Pack lead. LSUA had a grand slam in the top half of the frame to help plate six runs, then Loyola answered with a five-spot in the bottom half. Calamari's sacrifice fly scored the first run, Cullins doubled to plate two more, and Brandon Duhon ended the inning with a double of his own to score two additional runs.
Calamari doubled and scored after a wild pitch in the fourth inning to give Loyola an 8-6 lead, but LSUA answered with four runs in the fifth inning to push back ahead 10-8. Alexander's fourth home run of the season came in the bottom half of the fifth, and it tied the game at 10. Neither team scored in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, setting up Fontenot's heroics.
Wes Anderson earned the win with 2.1 scoreless relief innings. He struck out four and allowed just one hit after entering in the seventh inning. He relieved Andrew Riedell, who also pitched 2.1 innings after coming in to pitch in the fifth inning. Riedell allowed just one earned run with three strikeouts in his outing.
On Freshman Kaleb Fantenot's game-winning hit:
"Kaleb has been itching to get in there, but he hasn't had too many opportunities yet. He got a big opportunity there and came through huge. He hit a missile backside and got himself a walk-off.
On Wes Anderson's relief appearance:
"Wes did a tremendous job of throwing some zeros on the board. We were having trouble doing that, and without the performance he gave us tonight, we wouldn't have had that moment at the end of the game. The lineup card went to him tonight after what he was able to do."
On Tucker Ganley:
"Since Tucker has gotten in the lineup and moved into the leadoff spot, it's really changed our offense. He's just giving us quality at-bats, he gets on base, can hit, can run, and he's just doing a tremendous job. We have a lot of freshmen contributing and I'm proud of what those guys have been able to do so far."
Pack Facts
Tucker Ganley reached base in all six of his at-bats on Friday. He walked three times, had three hits, scored three runs, and stole a base.
In his last four games, Ganley has a .700 batting average.
Payton Alexander also had three hits, including his two-run home run, which was his fourth of the season and the 10th of his Wolf Pack career.
Through the first 13 games of the season, Alexander is batting .415 and continues to lead his team in hits (22) and RBI (21).
Kason Cullins followed up last weekend's walk-off performance with three hits, 2 RBI, and two stolen bases against LSUA.
Michael Calamari and Gabriel Trastoy each drew three walks, with Calamari also adding a hit, a run, and an RBI.
Including the game winner, Aaron Davis came across home plate three times as a pinch runner.
You can keep up with the Pack by following Wolf Pack Athletics on Facebook at Facebook.com/LoyolaWolfPack, Twitter and Instagram @LoyolaWolfPack, and by checking out our website at LoyolaWolfPack.com.
