Box Score The 22nd-ranked Loyola Wolf Pack battled No. 5 Faulkner Friday, opening the three-game series with a thrilling 10-6 win
WESTWEGO – The No. 22 Loyola Wolf Pack is hosting No. 5 Faulkner this weekend at Segnette Field for the first-ever matchup of Top 25 teams in program history, and Friday night's Game 1 of the series did not disappoint. With one out and the bases loaded, Allen Dennis launched his second home run of the game, this time a grand slam, to give the Wolf Pack a 10-6 win over the Eagles.
Games 2 and 3 of the series are set for Saturday, with the doubleheader beginning at noon.
Trailing 6-5 through seven innings, Loyola scored five runs in the final two frames to earn the win. It started in the eighth when Michael Calamari led off with a double down the left-field line, then pinch-runner Landon Trosclair moved to third after a Dennis sacrifice fly. Peyton Lacoste singled in the shortstop to bring the tying run home to set up the thrilling ninth inning. Brandon Duhon started the ninth with a walk, then Payton Alexander singled to put runners on the corners with one out. The Eagles opted to intentionally walk Calamari and face Dennis, who already had a two-run home run earlier in the game, and Dennis launched a 3-1 pitch over the scoreboard to send Segnette Field into a frenzy.
Wes Anderson earned the win with 2.1 of hitless relief innings. Loyola led 5-2 through four innings, but the Eagles scored four runs in the next four innings until Anderson took the mound. Anderson hit one batter, but retired the other seven he faced to give Loyola's bats a chance.
Loyola got on the board in the first inning with a two-out solo home run by Calamari, then the Wolf Pack scored four more runs in the third inning all with two outs. With two outs in third, Patrick Crifasi singled to center followed by another single by Alexander to quickly put a runner in scoring position. Calamari hit his first of two doubles in the game to give Loyola a 3-2 lead, then Dennis' first home run of the game put the Pack up 5-2.
On Allen Dennis's walk-off:
"He's our guy and in that situation, there's nobody else we'd rather have up at the plate. He's worked hard and he deserves that type of opportunity. He came through big right there and I'm proud of him."
On Michael Calamari and Dennis hitting in the middle of the lineup:
"Michael and Allen in the middle there, all game, had clutch hits. Michael came through with huge at-bats, and with those two hitting back-to-back the way they did tonight, it's a tough lineup to get through when they're performing like that."
On two-out scoring early in the game:
"It's the same approach, but two-out hits and two-out production is huge. It's critical. Any good team, you see a lot of two-out production. To get all five of those runs, starting all with two outs, it's a big accomplishment. It is something we talk about, but we don't change our approach. They did a tremendous job with quality at-bats."
On Wes Anderson's relief performance:
"He came in throwing strikes and throwing his slider. He had the competitive shirt, executed pitches and got the job done. He's been doing that, and he's been really good for us lately. He held the score when we needed it and he gave our offense a chance to come back and do what they needed to do."
Pack Facts
Allen Dennis was 2-for-4 at the plate Friday, recording a career-high six RBI to give him 137 for his career. He's now Loyola's all-time leader in RBI.
Dennis's second multi-homer game of his career gave him eight home runs in 2021. That currently ranks as the ninth-most home runs in a season in Loyola history.
The New Orleans native also extended his on-base streak to 22 games.
Michael Calamari led the Wolf Pack in hits, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, a homer, a walk, and three runs scored. It's his 11th multi-hit game of the season.
Calamari also registered his fourth game this season with 3 RBI, and his second-straight. All three runs were scored with two outs.
With his single in the bottom of the fourth, Kason Cullins extended his on-base streak to nine games.
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