Despite a spectacular pitching performance by communications junior Danny Gonzalez, Loyola’s baseball team fell to the Nicholls State Colonels 2-1 at Didier Field on Tuesday evening. The ‘Pack dropped to 12-16 on the season and has lost five consecutive games.
“Gonzalez did a good job of keeping our hitters off balance the entire night,” Nicholls State coach Chip Durham said. “But we eventually came through with the win.”
Gonzalez pitched a complete game in his second start of the season. He finished with 8.1 innings, allowing one earned run on six hits to the Colonels, fanning eight in the process.
“I’ve never seen someone so in control of the game,” communications sophomore Andy Rodriguez said.
Jerry Campos, marketing junior, scored Loyola’s lone run in the top of the third inning. He led off the inning with a single and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. After reaching third on an error by the Colonel shortstop, Campos scored on a ground out by marketing sophomore Bobby Alvarez.
The closest Loyola would come again to scoring came in the ninth inning. With the game still tied and runners on first and third with two outs, communications sophomore Andy Rodriguez hit a line drive to left field that looked to be a double. Colonel Chris Barnes made a diving catch to end the rally and put the game in the hands of the Colonel offense.
“He made a great play. They just made the plays down the stretch,” Rodriguez said.
Nicholls led off the bottom of the ninth with a perfectly-placed bunt down the third base line. On the next play, Gonzalez quickly fielded a ground ball hit to the mound, but threw errantly to second, resulting in runners on first and third. After intentionally walking the next batter and loading the bases, Chris Barnes followed with his game-winning bunt.
“It was a perfect bunt,” said Gonzalez, who has a 2.52 ERA on the season. “We were ready for it, but they just executed it perfectly.”
On the bright side, Rodriguez says, Loyola did take a talented Division I team to the end. “We scared them. We got them on the run. Now we can take that momentum going into the next game.”
Loyola faces William Carey tonight at Segnette field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Chad Bower can be reached at [email protected].
