SHREVEPORT, La. – The Loyola University New Orleans baseball team lost its first NAIA Opening Round game to Mid-America Christian on Monday, 3-2, and that sets up an elimination matchup between the Wolf Pack and Huston Tillotson University at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. 
 

Loyola starting pitcher Michael Hotard did everything he could to put Loyola in a position to win. He pitched all eight innings Loyola was on the field, striking out four while scattering nine hits. After Loyola took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, MACU answered with a run in the bottom half of the frame, 1-1, then a solo home run in the fourth gave the Evangels the lead for good. Hotard still hung tough, though, sitting down 12 of the next 14 batters he faced. MACU scored one final time in the eighth, and that proved to be an important insurance run. 
 

The Wolf Pack got on the board first when Myles Liggans singled with one out in the third, then moved to second on a wild pitch and third on a groundout. Nathan McDonald picked up the RBI after that. 
 

From there, hits were hard to come by for the Pack, which only totaled four throughout the game. Loyola battled at the plate, however, earning eight walks, including one each in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth innings. The MACU reliever even walked the bases loaded in the ninth, and Loyola cut the deficit to one, 3-2, with an infield single off the bat of Liggans, but the final out was recorded during the next at-bat to end the game. 
 

Pack Facts

• Leadoff hitter Myles Liggans reached base four different times, going 3-for-4 at the plate with a walk, a run, and an RBI. 

• Michael Hotard had his longest outing of the year, 8 innings, allowing just three runs.  

• The Wolf Pack worked eight walks in the game, marking the 20th this season of recording eight or more. 

NAIA Opening Round: Shreveport Bracket

Watch Live | Live Stats | Tickets

Monday, May 11
Game 1 | #4 Oklahoma Wesleyan def. #5 Huston-Tillotson, 8-0
Game 2 | #2 Mid-American Christian def. #3 Loyola, 3-2
Game 3 | #1 LSUS def. #4 Oklahoma Wesleyan, 5-4
 

Tuesday, May 12
Game 4 | 11:00 AM | #5 Huston-Tillotson vs. #3 Loyola
Game 5 | 2:30 PM | #2 Mid-American Christian vs. #1 LSUS
Game 6 | 6:00 PM | Winner of Game 4 vs. #4 Oklahoma Wesleyan
 

Wednesday, May 13
Game 7 | 11:00 AM | Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 5
Game 8 | 2:30 PM | Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 7
 

Thursday, May 14
Game 9 (If Necessary) | 11:00 AM | Loser of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 8