No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett outlasts No. 14 Loyola in doubleheader Saturday

WESTWEGO – The Loyola University New Orleans baseball team wrapped up a three-game non-conference series with No. 5-ranked Georgia Gwinnett with a doubleheader Saturday. On a day which featured nine home runs between the two teams, the Grizzlies (31-5) defeated the Wolf Pack (24-12) by a 7-2 score in the first game and 7-6 in the second. 

Loyola returns to conference play with a three-game series at Middle Georgia State next weekend, with a doubleheader on Friday, April 7 before a single game Saturday, April 8. The first game next Friday is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. EDT in Cochran, Ga.

#5 Georgia Gwinnett 7, #14 Loyola 2

After the Grizzlies plated three runs in the first three frames, Cole Romero led off the top of the fourth with a solo home run deep to left center to put the Pack on the scoreboard. 

Gwinnett added three more in the top of the fifth inning to make it 6-1. Loyola was able to get one more run across, after Aaron Davis got a two-out double, later being brought home by an RBI single from Tucker Ganley. 

A home run in the top of the seventh would extend the Grizzlies' lead to 7-2 as they took Game 2 and evened the series.
 

#5 Georgia Gwinnett 7, #14 Loyola 6

The Wolf Pack struck first in the rubber match, as Christopher Bohrer led off with a single to left field, eventually coming home on a sacrifice fly to right by Jake Mills. 

The Grizzlies got on the board in the fourth inning with a two-run homer to take the lead at 2-1, but Loyola matched them with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the fourth. Bohrer reached again on leadoff walk, advancing to second base after a successful bunt near the catcher by Kason Cullins. Gwinnett then walked two batters, Mills and Brandon Mooney, to tie things up at 2-2. Now on third after the second walk, Cullins came home on a wild pitch, giving the Pack a 3-2 advantage. 

The Grizzlies regained the lead in the sixth after their second home run of the game, adding a third long ball in the ninth to make it a 7-3 game. Loyola also started swinging for the fences in the bottom of the ninth, with Mooney and Cole Romero each hitting two-out home runs to bring the Pack within one run. Gwinnett was able to hold on in the end, however, taking the third game 7-6. 

Pack Facts

• Mooney's home run gave him 49 runs this season, which is tied for the eighth-most in a season in program history. He's also at 60 hits this season.

• While Mooney's hitting streak came to an end, he extended his on-base streak, as he has reached first in each of the 36 games so far this season. 

• Cole Romero hit a home run in each game, bringing his total this season to seven. 

• Romero, who is on a 53-game on-base streak and 16-game hitting streak, leads the team in home runs (7), RBI (42), and slugging percentage (.630). 

• Tucker Ganley led the team with three hits in Game 3, while Romero and Aaron Davis each had two in Game 2. 

• In the past seven games, Davis, Ganley, and Romero have each had four games with multiple hits. 

• With three strikeouts in game 3, Thomas Hakimian is now tied for second on the team in total strikeouts this season with 38 Ks in 37.0 innings pitched. 

• Game 3 was Loyola's seventh game this season hitting multiple home runs. 

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