Box Score The Loyola Wolf Pack won their seventh straight three-game series Saturday, improving their record against Top 25-ranked teams to 12-4 this season
COCHRAN, Ga. – After losing Game 1 to the No. 11 Middle Georgia State Knights Friday, the 15th-ranked Loyola Wolf Pack rebounded by winning the final two games of the three-game series, the latter being an 11-8 win in Saturday's rubber match.
Loyola is now 30-10 overall this season and it sits in first place with a 13-2 record in Southern States Athletic Conference play. With six SSAC games left on the schedule, Loyola is two games ahead of second-place Faulkner and three games up on MGA.
The Wolf Pack used two big innings to separate themselves from the Knights, scoring four runs in the first inning and five in the fifth. Luke LaCoste led off the game with a solo home run, then Michael Calamari and Peyton Lacoste reached base with two outs on a hit by pitch and a walk, respectively. Kason Cullins' single made it a 2-0 lead and Christopher Bohrer's single brought two more home to push the lead to 4-0 before MGA could bat for the first time.
After the Knights made it a 4-1 game in the second inning, Loyola added two more runs in the fourth to stay ahead. Patrick Crifasi reached base on a bunt with two outs, and Luke LaCoste and Payton Alexander loaded the bases with a walk and a hit by pitch. Michael Calamari put the ball in play during the next at-bat, and an error in the MGA infield scored the two runs to push the lead to 6-1.
The big blow by the Loyola offense came in the fifth inning, scoring five runs to extend its lead to 11-2. Peyton Lacoste and Kason Cullins singled to lead off the frame, and Gabriel Trastoy walked to load the bases with no outs. Bohrer picked up two more RBI with a single one batter later, and a double by Alexander later in the inning scored two more. Calamari picked up the final RBI of the inning with a single through the left side of the infield.
Middle Georgia made it a game with five runs in the bottom of the sixth, cutting the Wolf Pack's lead to 11-7, then a lone run by the Knights in the eighth made it a three-run Loyola advantage. Brett Fisackerly, however, held the MGA offense enough to earn the win, scattering three hits while allowing the lone unearned run in the eighth to earn the save.
Pack Facts
Saturday marked the first series win over Middle Georgia State since the Pack won two of three games on the road in 2015.
The Wolf Pack scored four runs in the first inning and five runs in the fifth inning Saturday, and those frames have been two of the best run-scoring innings this season for the Pack. Loyola has 46 runs in each of those two innings, which is tied for the second-most of any frame, as the third inning (47) has been the best offensive inning for the team this season.
Luke LaCoste led off the game with a home run, the second in the last two games for LaCoste and the fifth of his career.
Christopher Bohrer notched his third multi-hit game of the season with two hits Saturday, and his three RBI was one shy of his career-high.
Freshman Kason Cullins recorded his fourth career game with at least three hits, as his career-high of four hits came on March 30 against Louisiana College.
Payton Alexander recorded a hit in Saturday's contest, moving his on-base streak to 14 straight games and his hitting streak to eight.
Michael Calamari also improved his on-base streak to 12 games with a hit in the win.
Brett Fisackerly earned the save after pitching the final 3.2 innings, and it was the third straight outing he's qualified for a save. Fisackerly is now tied for the team lead with three saves.
Matthew Champagne improved to 4-0 after pitching 1.1 innings of relief. The Luling, Louisiana, native is now tied for the team lead in wins, matching Saturday's starter Brenden Taravella with a 4-0 record.
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