Wolf Pack now 1-1 in Pool Play

JACKSON, Tenn. – The Loyola University New Orleans baseball team moved to 1-1 in pool play of the Southern States Athletic Conference Baseball Championship, losing to Blue Mountain Christian, 12-7, on Thursday. The fourth-seeded Wolf Pack now faces top-seeded Faulkner on Friday at 1 p.m. to close out pool play. 
 

Loyola struck first in the opening frame, as freshman Jaxon Buratt used heads-up base running to manufacture the first run of the game. After getting hit by a pitch with one out, Buratt tagged up from first on a pop-up behind the plate to get into scoring position. Back-to-back wild pitches brought him home to give Loyola a 1-0 lead. The Toppers, however, used two home runs - one in the second and another in the third - to jump ahead 3-1 after three innings. 
 

The Pack followed that up with one run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to go ahead on the scoreboard. Aaron Davis got on base in the fourth, then moved to third on a single by Jake Mills. Brandon Mooney scored Davis on a sacrifice fly to left field. In the fifth, Collin Zeringue and Kason Cullins walked during consecutive at-bats with one out, and a single by Buratt tied the game, 3-3. Garrett Beadle came through, again, in the pinch-hitting role, doubling home Cullins to give Loyola the lead, 4-3. 
 

The lead didn't last, though, as BMCU scored three runs in three of the final four innings. After falling behind 9-4 in the seventh, Loyola added a couple of runs in the seventh and another in the eighth to threaten the Toppers. Mooney picked up the two RBI in the seventh on a double to right-center, 9-6, and Marcus Steen cut the score to 9-7 after a single to right in the eighth. Another three-run inning in the ninth for Blue Mountain Christian made its lead 12-7. 
 

Loyola left 13 runners on base throughout the contest, including two runners in six of the nine innings of Thursday's game. 
 

Pack Facts

• Marcus Steen recorded four hits for the third time this season, most of anyone on the team. Steen went 4-for-5 at the plate, knocking in two runs. 

• Brandon Mooney led the team with three RBI, going 2-for-5 with a double, his 10th of the year.

• Kason Cullins hit his 11th double of the season, finishing the game 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs. 

• Jake Mills also went 2-for-3 with a run scored. 

SSAC Baseball Championship Schedule

Live Stats | Tickets | Watch Live

Pool A: #1 Faulkner, #4 Loyola, #5 Mobile, #8 Blue Mountain Christian
Pool B: #2 William Carey, #3 Point, #6 Middle Georgia, #7 Thomas
 

Wednesday, May 1
10 am | #4 Loyola 9, #5 Mobile 3
1 pm | #8 Blue Mountain 15, #1 Faulkner 5
4 pm | #6 Middle Georgia 15, #3 Point 4
7 pm | #2 William Carey 9, #7 Thomas 5
 

Thursday, May 2
10 am | #8 Blue Mountain 12, #4 Loyola 7
1 pm | #1 Faulkner 5, #5 Mobile 1
4 pm | #7 Thomas 5, #3 Point 3
7 pm | #2 William Carey 13, #6 Middle Georgia 10
 

Friday, May 3
10 am | #5 Mobile (0-2) v. #8 Blue Mountain (2-0)
1 pm | #4 Loyola (1-1) v. #1 Faulkner (1-1)
4 pm | #6 Middle Georgia (1-1) v. #7 Thomas (1-1)
7 pm | #3 Point (0-2) v. #2 William Carey (2-0)
 

Saturday, May 4 
1 pm | Championship: #8 Blue Mountain v. #2 William Carey