WESTWEGO – The Loyola University New Orleans baseball team had a tough opening day on Friday, losing two games to Freed-Hardeman 5-3 and 9-0. The two teams will play one more game on Saturday to conclude the three-game series, as first pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Segnette Field. 
 

Game 1: Freed-Hardeman 5, #23 Loyola 3
 

Freed-Hardeman got the first run of the game in the opening frame, scoring on a solo homer to left field, but the Wolf Pack quickly answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Two newcomers on the team, Brandon Mooney and Cole Romero, got things started to quickly put a runner in scoring position. Mooney began things with a double to right-center, then Romero moved him over to third on a sacrifice fly to third. Luke Clement drove Mooney home on a ground out to shortstop. 
 

The top of the order came through again in the third inning, as Mooney walked with two outs then was moved over to second when Romero grounded out to short. Once again, Clement delivered an RBI, singling up the middle to bring home Mooney and make it a 2-1 Wolf Pack lead. 
 

In the seventh and final inning, however, Freed-Hardeman pushed across four runs to grab control, 5-2. Loyola tried to mount a comeback, as Jake Mills and Christopher Bohrer both reached base with no outs. Nathan Monceaux reached base on a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners with one out, then a sacrifice fly off the bat of Aaron Davis made it a 5-3 ballgame. The Lions, though, got the final out during the next at-bat. 
 

Stephen Still got the start for the Wolf Pack and pitched four innings of three-hit ball with eight strikeouts. Grant Goodbee made his Loyola debut after Still, and struck out one without giving up a hit in two innings. 
 

Game 2: Freed-Hardeman 9, No. 23 Loyola 0
 

Only one run crossed through the first seven innings, as the Lions held the 1-0 advantage entering the eighth. Loyola had four hits at that point and left four runners on base throughout the game. Bohrer and Romero were both left stranded in scoring position in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, and Ross Selvaggi doubled to start the seventh inning only to be left stranded. 
 

The Lions opened things up in the eighth, though, scoring five more runs to jump ahead 6-0. Another three runs in the ninth sealed the deal for FHU, too. 
 

Brady Bowen looked good in his first start of the season, pitching four innings while giving up one run on four hits with two strikeouts. Joshua Orr pitched the next two innings of scoreless ball before the Lions got to the other Wolf Pack relievers. 
 

Pack Facts

• Three different players logged at least one hit in each game: Brandon Mooney, Cole Romero, and Christopher Bohrer. 

• Bohrer was the only Loyola player with a multi-hit game, as he got a ball to drop in the outfield twice in the second game. 

• Dating back to last season, Romero has a hit in 13-straight games. 

• Stephen Still struck out eight batters in four innings, giving him 165 Ks for his career. Still is now moving up the career leaderboard for strikeouts in Loyola history. He's now eighth in the record book. 

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.