Loyola advances to winner’s bracket

WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. – Stephen Still went the distance the third-seeded Loyola offense scored six runs off 11 hits to win its first-round game in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round over No. 2 seed Bellevue, 6-2. The Wolf Pack will now play the winner of top-seeded Cumberlands and No. 5 seed Park (Mo.) on Tuesday. Game time is still to be determined. 
 

Still took a few punches to start the game, but he led the 22nd-ranked Wolf Pack to the win on 142 pitches and 13 strikeouts in the complete-game effort. The No. 14-ranked Bruins scored their only two runs in the first inning, which came on a leadoff solo home run, followed by a hit by pitch, single and an error. However, that was the most success Bellevue would have against Still, as the senior left-hander only allowed two more base runners to get into scoring position throughout the rest of the game. As his pitch count rose, he became more sharp on the mound, too, collecting at least two strikeouts during his final four innings. 
 

After two scoreless frames from the Wolf Pack offense, they finally broke through with two runs to tie it in the third. Jaxon Buratt singled with one out, then a line shot off the pitcher by Kason Cullins resulted in two runners in scoring position with two outs. Marcus Steen came through with the two-RBI single up the middle during the next at-bat to even the score. 
 

The game stayed 2-2 until Loyola scored three more in the seventh. Collin Zeringue and Landon Trosclair had back-to-back walks to start the frame, and Payton Cooper moved the two over into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Consecutive singles by Jake Mills and Buratt made it a 4-2 Loyola lead, then Mills scored, 5-2, during the next at-bat when Brandon Mooney beat out a double play try by the Bruins' defense. 
 

Landon Manson made it a 6-2 lead in the eighth when he scored on a squeeze bunt play off the bat of Trosclair.
 

Pack Facts

• Loyola has set a new program record for team wins in a single season with 37 victories.

• Going to full nine innings for the first time in his Wolf Pack career, Stephen Still struck out a career-high 13 batters with only one earned run allowed.

• Still now has a 10-2 record in 15 starts this season. His 10 wins are tied for the most in a single season by any pitcher in Loyola history. 

• Still is the only Wolf Pack pitcher to throw 90 strikeouts in a season, and he's now achieved that mark three times: this year (93), last year (97), and 2022 (95).

• Leadoff hitter Jaxon Buratt went 3-for5 at the plate with a run and an RBI. Buratt leads the team with 75 hits this season, the sixth-most hits in a season in program history. 

• Brandon Mooney, who went 2-for-5 at the plate Monday, isn't far behind Buratt with 73 total hits this year. That's tied for ninth on the single-season hits list. 

Williamsburg Opening Round

Monday, May 13
Game 1 | #5 Park 6, #4 St. Francis 1
Game 2 | #3 Loyola 6, #2 Bellevue 2
Game 3 | 3:00 PM | #1 Cumberlands 25, #5 Park 0
 

Tuesday, May 14
Game 4 | 10:00 AM | St. Francis vs. Bellevue
Game 5 | 1:00 PM | Loyola vs. Cumberlands
Game 6 | 4:00 PM | Park vs. Winner of Game 4
 

Wednesday, May 15
Game 7 | TBD | Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 5
Game 8 | TBD | Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 5
 

Thursday, May 16
Game 9 | TBD | Winner of Game 8 vs. Loser of Game 8 (If Necessary)
All times Eastern