WESTWEGO – The Loyola University New Orleans baseball team is hosting the fifth-ranked Georgia Gwinnett this weekend in mid-season, non-conference action, as the 14th-ranked Wolf Pack took down the Grizzlies, 12-5, in the series opener. Loyola (24-10) and GGC (29-5) will play a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. on Saturday to decide the series. 
 

After Stephen Still started the game by striking out the first three batters he saw in the opening frame, the Wolf Pack pushed the game's first run across off an RBI up-the-middle single by Anthony Fernandez. Brandon Mooney started the bottom of the first with a walk, then he was moved over to second when Tucker Ganley sacrificed him over with a bunt to the pitcher to set up Fernandez. 
 

GGC tied the game 1-1 in the top of the third, but the Wolf Pack answered with seven runs in the bottom half. Aaron Davis, Mooney, Ganley and Romero started the inning with four straight hits, as Davis and Romero both picked up doubles to make it a 3-1 Loyola lead. After a failed pickoff attempt by the Grizzlies pitcher, another run scored, 4-1, then a groundout off the bat of Fernandez plated Romero to extend the advantage to 5-1. With no one on base, Kason Cullins extended the inning by getting hit by a pitch, then Christopher Bohrer launched a two-run homer to left field to bring the score to 7-1. The Pack wasn't done either, as Jake Mills kept things going by reaching on an infield error, and he later scored when Mooney singled to right field, 8-1. 
 

Georgia Gwinnett tried to get some runs back in the top of the fourth. After a leadoff double, Still pitched his sixth strikeout and Davis caught the second out near the 400-foot marker on the center field wall then threw out the runner at third trying to tag up. The momentum stayed with the Wolf Pack, too, adding four more runs in the next half-inning to push the lead to 12-1. Romero reached on an error, Fernandez walked, and Cullins was hit by a pitch again to quickly load the bases, and Bohrer came through again with an RBI single to score the first run. Mills brought the next run home after he hit into a fielder's choice to third, as the GGC infielder threw the ball away to allow another run to cross the plate. A wild pitch with Bohrer at third scored the fourth and final run of the frame. 
 

The Grizzlies finally got to Still with three runs in the sixth, but the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native finished his outing with seven strikeouts while giving up four earned runs off seven hits and a walk. Brady Bowen pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning, which was highlighted by three good defensive plays by Mills at shortstop, then recorded three strikeouts in the eighth to keep the score at 12-4. 
 

After Bowen ran into a little trouble in the ninth, Grant Goodbee entered and retired the next three batters to close out the win for the Wolf Pack. 
 

Pack Facts

• The 12-5 win was Loyola's seventh consecutive game scoring double-digit runs, and the 14th such game of the season. 

• It was also Loyola's 19th game this season with double-digit hits. The team is 17-2 when recording at least 10 hits. 

• Christopher Bohrer hit his fourth home run of the season, and 12th of his Wolf Pack career. He also finished the game with team highs in hits (3) and RBI (3).

• Brandon Mooney scored twice, including the first run of the game, reaching base in four of his five plate appearances. 

• Mooney leads the Wolf Pack with 48 runs scored this year, which is also tied for the ninth-most in a season in program history. 

• Cole Romero, who got his ninth double of the season, extended his hitting streak to a team-best 14 games. Mooney's hitting streak is also into double figures, as he has at least one hit in each of the last 10 contests. 

• Stephen Still now owns a 5-0 win-loss record this season, tying him with Nathan Moncecaux for a team best. 

• Still has amassed 16 pitching wins in his career, which is the seventh-most in program history.

• Friday was also Still's fifth game this season throwing at least seven strikeouts. He leads the team with 62 strikeouts this year.. That's tied for the 10th-most in a season with… Stephen Still, who threw 62 strikeouts in his freshman campaign. 

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