Loyola falls in NAIA World Series opener Friday

LEWISTON, Idaho – The No. 8 seed Loyola University New Orleans baseball team competed in its first-ever game at the 2025 Avista NAIA Baseball World Series on Friday. The Wolf Pack lost its opening matchup against No. 3 seed Tennessee Wesleyan in a 7-3 contest. 
 

Loyola will return to play on Saturday, at 8:30 p.m., when it faces the loser of Friday night's matchup of No. 2 seed Georgia Gwinnett and No. 9 seed British Columbia. 
 

Both teams went scoreless through the first three innings of Friday's World Series matchup. Thomas Hakimian allowed no hits in 3.1 innings, recording a strikeout in the third frame. In the bottom of the fourth, Tennessee Wesleyan hit a solo home run to left field to score the first run of the World Series contest, 1-0. TWU plated two more in the fourth to take a 3-0 advantage.
 

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, Frank Fernandez entered the game. The Wolf Pack turned a double play, allowing one run, but Fernandez got the final out to end the inning, 4-0. 
 

The Wolf Pack had opportunities to score in the middle innings of the game. They got bases runners on in the third and fourth innings, but hit into double plays. They also stranded four base runners combined in the fifth and sixth innings as well. 
 

Loyola got on the board in the seventh, starting with Drew Lee reaching first on a fielder's choice. After Landon Trosclair entered as a pinch runner, he stole second to get into scoring position with two outs. Anthony Fernandez doubled to left to score Trosclair, then after Jaxon Buratt singled, an error by TWU allowed Fernandez to score and Buratt to reach second, 4-2.
 

The Bulldogs added two more runs in the seventh to extend the advantage back to four, 6-2. Tennessee Wesleyan pushed its lead in the eight, 7-2, in the eighth. 
 

In Loyola's final at-bat, Steen walked to start the top of the final frame. Lee singled to put runners on first and second, then Steen advanced to third on a double play in the following at-bat. After Buratt walked to put runners on the corners, Brandon Mooney singled to send Steen home for Loyola's third run, 7-3. The Pack loaded the bases, but Tennessee Wesleyan got the final out to secure the game. 
 

Pack Facts

• Brandon Mooney, Myles Liggans, Garrett Felix, Drew Lee, Anthony Fernandez, and Jaxon Buratt accounted for the team's six hits in Friday's game. 

• Mooney's RBI single late in the game gave him 131 RBI in three years at Loyola, which ties him for third on Loyola's career RBI list. 

• Felix broke up a no-hitter in the sixth with his 81st hit of the year. That ties him for second behind Mooney's 85 hits this year for most in a season in program history. 
   

NAIA World Series Schedule

All times Central
Friday, May 23
Game 1 | #4 Hope International (Calif.) def. #7 Cumberlands (Ky.), 10-4
Game 2 | #1 LSU Shreveport def. #10 Grand View (Iowa), 6-3
Game 3 | #3 Tennessee Wesleyan def. No. 8 Loyola, 7-3
Game 4 | #2 Georgia Gwinnett def. #9 British Columbia, 11-1 (8)

Saturday, May 24
Game 5 | 1:00 p.m. | #5 Webber International (Fla.) vs. #6 Southeastern (Fla.)
Game 6 | 5:00 p.m. | #7 Cumberlands (Ky.) vs. #10 Grand View (Iowa)
Game 7 | 8:30 p.m. | #8 Loyola vs. #9 British Columbia

Monday, May 26
Game 8 | 1:00 p.m. | Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 7
Game 9 | 5:00 p.m. | #3 Tennessee Wesleyan vs. #2 Georgia Gwinnett
Game 10 | 8:30 p.m. | #4 Hope International (Calif.) vs. #1 LSU Shreveport

Tuesday, May 27
Game 11 | 1:00 p.m. | Loser of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 9
Game 12 | 5:00 p.m. | Winner of Game 8 vs. Loser of Game 10
Game 13 | 8:30 p.m. | Winner of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 5

Wednesday, May 28
Game 14 | 5:00 p.m. | Winner of Game 11 vs. Loser of Game 13
Game 15 | 8:30 p.m. | Winner of Game 10 vs. Winner of Game 13

Thursday, May 29
Game 16 | 5:00 p.m. | Winner of Game 14 vs. Loser of Game 15
Game 17 | 8:30 p.m. | Winner of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 15

Friday, May 30
Game 18 | 8:30 p.m. | Potential Semifinal or Championship Game

Saturday, May 31
Game 19 | 8:30 p.m. | If necessary, Championship Game

(If after Game 17 three teams remain, the team with the most games played receives a bye to Game 19. If there is a tie for games played, the team that won the head-to-head matchup in the tournament shall receive a bye to Game 19. If the tie is still not able to be broken, the higher seed shall advance to Game 19.)
 

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