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5.13.25_BSB vs Reinhardt Release
Erin Williamson
6
Reinhardt (GA) REINHARD 43-11
7
Winner Loyola LOYOLA 39-15
Reinhardt (GA) REINHARD
43-11
6
Final
7
Loyola LOYOLA
39-15
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Reinhardt (GA) REINHARD 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 1 6 8 4
Loyola LOYOLA 0 0 1 1 0 3 0 2 X 7 7 0

W: Weil, Matthew (1-0) L: B. Allen (0-1) S: Fernandez, Frank (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

No. 13 Loyola moves to 2-0 in NAIA Opening Round

The Wolf Pack upset the No. 5 Reinhardt Eagles to advance to the Championship Round on Wednesday

WALESKA, Ga. – The 13th-ranked Wolf Pack continued play at the NAIA National Championship Opening Round in a Winner's Bracket matchup against 5th-ranked Reinhardt (Ga.) on Tuesday. The Wolf Pack won Tuesday's 7-6 matchup against Reinhardt to move on to the Championship Round on Wednesday. No. 2 seed Loyola will face off with the winner of No. 4 seed Ave Maria and No. 1 seed Reinhardt at 3 p.m. CT on Wednesday.
 

The Wolf Pack put the first run on the board in the third inning. After Brandon Mooney singled to left center, a fielder's choice advanced the senior to second, along with putting Myles Liggans on first. A two-out double down the left field line by Cole Romero brought Mooney home, putting the Pack ahead, 1-0. 
 

After a three-up, three-down inning for Brady Bowen, the Maroon and Gold added another run to its total in the bottom of the fourth. Landon Manson walked to start the frame, then Marcus Steen singled to put runners on the corners. Drew Lee singled to send Manson home for Loyola's second run of the evening. 
 

The Eagles evened the score with solo home runs in the fifth and sixth innings, 2-2. With Manson on second in the sixth inning, a single from Jaxon Buratt sent Lee to third and brought Manson home to retake the lead for Loyola. An error by the Eagles allowed Mooney to reach first and Lee to touch home plate, giving the Pack a two-run advantage, 4-2. Liggans walked to load the bases, then a passed ball by Reinhardt scored Buratt to complete a three-run sixth inning, 5-2.
 

After another solo homer by Reinhardt got the score within two in the top of the seventh, 5-3, Caden Durand entered the game to retire two batters and end the inning. Reinhardt scored another two runs to tie the game in the eighth, 5-5. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, a wild pitch sent Ben Harris home, just before a sacrifice fly from Garrett Felix scored Buratt to put the Pack back up by two, 7-5.
 

In the ninth, Reinhardt scored to get within one, but Frank Fernandez stepped on the mound to close out the game for the Wolf Pack, earning a 7-6 victory over the fifth-best team in the NAIA.
 

Bowen performed well for the Wolf Pack, only allowing three earned runs on four hits, and recording seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings. Fernandez took control in the bottom of the ninth to earn the save and seal the postseason victory.
 

Pack Facts

  • This is the first season in which Loyola has reached 40 wins. 

  • Brandon Mooney turned in another impressive performance at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a run scored and one RBI. 

  • Two single-season program records fell Tuesday, both previously held by Mooney. The Wolf Pack second baseman now has 83 hits and 74 runs this season, and both numbers are good enough for new school records.

  • Frank Fernandez has gotten the job done in closing situations of late. Fernandez has earned the save in each of his last five pitching appearances. One came in the series win over William Carey, two more in the conference tournament, and now he's gotten the save in both games in the NAIA Opening Round. 

  • Fernandez is now tied for fourth in the Wolf Pack record book in career saves with seven, and his six saves this season are just one away from tying the school record. 

  • Matthew Weil finished out the eighth inning to pick up his sixth pitching win of the season, but the game could not have been won without another strong performance from Brady Bowen on the mound. Bowen went a season-high 6.1 innings against the No. 5 Eagles, allowing just four hits and three runs while striking out seven. 

  • Mooney's run was driven in by a double from Cole Romero, marking his third game in a row with a double. He became the first Wolf Pack player ever to collect 70 RBI in a season. He also is the third Loyola player to reach 75 hits this season, which puts him in the top 10 in the Wolf Pack record book. 

  • Romero and Landon Manson also each stole a base in Tuesday's game to bring their season totals each to 26. They're now tied for the seventh-most stolen bases in a season in program history. 

     

Opening Round Schedule

Monday, May 12
Game 1 | #2 Loyola def. #3 Oakland City, 7-4
Game 2 | #1 Reinhardt def. #4 Ave Maria, 12-5

Tuesday, May 13
Game 3 | #4 Ave Maria def. #3 Oakland City, 11-9 (14)
Game 4 | #2 Loyola def. #1 Reinhardt, 7-6

Wednesday, May 14
Game 5 | 11 a.m. CDT | #4 Ave Maria vs. #1 Reinhardt
Game 6 | 3 p.m. CDT | #2 Loyola vs. Winner of Game 5

Thursday, May 15
Game 7 (if necessary) | 11 a.m. CDT | Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6
 

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