Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Winners of six out of their last seven games, the Wolf Pack took two from the Stillman College Tigers on Thursday to start their SSAC series
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Loyola University New Orleans baseball team won its second consecutive Southern States Athletic Conference series on Thursday, sweeping the two games on the day against Stillman College, 3-0 and 14-11.
The two wins improved the Wolf Pack to 24-17 overall and 11-6 in SSAC play, which currently puts them in second place in the league standings. Loyola will go for the sweep against the Tigers on Friday at 1 p.m.
Game 1: Loyola 3, Stillman 0
With Stephen Still pitching well on the mound, the Wolf Pack scored a couple of late runs to help earn the 3-0 win to start the day. Loyola made it a 1-0 game through the first inning, but it didn't score again until in the final frame of the game.
Kason Cullins led off the game with a walk, then he stole second with two outs to get into scoring position. Luke Clement delivered the RBI single, and the Pack led 1-0 early. Loyola had plenty of chances to extend the advantage, but it stranded 12 baserunners during the next five innings, including three innings where it left the bases loaded, to keep it a one-run ballgame late.
While the Wolf Pack bats couldn't extend the lead, Stephen Still was dealing on the mound to keep Loyola ahead throughout the contest. Still did give up two early walks, but he didn't allow a Stillman hit until the fourth inning. He finished with five strikeouts during his seven innings of work, completing the complete-game shutout with only four hits allowed.
Loyola added some cushion in the seventh and final inning, as Christopher Bohrer got things started by reaching base on an infield error, then moving into scoring position via another error. Garrett Beadle made it a 2-0 lead with a single through the left side, and after Tucker Ganley was hit by a pitch and a sacrifice bunt by Gabriel Trastoy, an Aaron Davis sacrifice fly brought the score to 3-0.
Game 2: Loyola 14, Stillman 11
Loyola started Game 2's slugfest with four runs in the second inning to jump ahead early. Clement started with a one-out double and Cameron Trosclair switched places with another double, 1-0. Ryan Smilari walked during the next at-bat, then a double by Aaron Davis brought the score to 3-0, Wolf Pack. Davis later scored, 4-0, after stealing third then he came home on an error by the third baseman during the same play.
The big inning for Loyola came in the fifth with eight more runs crossing the plate. Alexander and Allen Dennis scored the first two runs with separate wild pitches, and Clement made the score 7-0 with an RBI single to right field. With the bases loaded, Davis was hit by a pitch, 8-0, and a groundout, a wild pitch and an error during the next two at-bats push the Wolf Pack's advantage to 11-0. A double by Dennis ended the scoring, 12-0.
Stillman started its comeback with two runs in the next half inning, then after Loyola scored a lone run in the top of the seventh, the Tigers brought seven more runs home in the bottom half of the frame to cut the deficit to 13-9. Loyola added an insurance run in the ninth to help close out the win.
Pack Facts
Stephen Still now owns a 5-1 record as a starter this season. In two seasons with the Wolf Pack, Still has five starts without allowing a run.
So far this season, Still has struck out 64 batters, which is the eighth-most strikeouts for a pitcher in a single season in Loyola history. He's already surpassed his strikeout total from last year of 62, which is the 10th most in a season in Loyola history.
Payton Alexander accounted for four of Loyola's 14 runs in Game 2. He has scored 157 times in his Wolf Pack career, which is the second-highest run total in program history. He trails Allen Dennis by five runs for the top spot.
A double from Dennis in Game 2's fifth inning gave him 48 doubles for his career. He's now tied for third on Loyola's career doubles list, and he needs just six more to tie the all-time record.
As a team, the Wolf Pack have recorded double-digit hits in six of the last eight contests.
With a hit in each game, Luke Clement extended his team-leading on-base streak to 19 games. He also has a hit in five straight.
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
