After taking two of three games at GCAC rival Belhaven, the Wolfpack baseball team hosted conference-leading Mobile over the weekend.

“Before the Belhaven game, we made a commitment as a team to start over. The guys have really stuck together,” said head coach Gregg Mucerino.

The Mobile series, however, did not begin very well.

In the first three innings, Loyola left three runners on base, scoring none.

At the same time, starter and management senior Scott Schenck held Mobile to one run on three hits.

In the fourth inning, after the bullpen took over, the Rams’ bats came alive. Loyola’s did not.

Pitcher and psychology sophomore Gian Balsamo walked the first batter, who was tripled home with two outs.

The damage would have been minimal had the next batter not reached on an error, but he did, and another run scampered home in the process.

After two more singles, Balsamo was replaced by management junior Jeb Bauer, who in turn allowed two more singles.

Trailing 7-0, Loyola had little hope for a comeback. Although relievers Brad Showalter, communications senior, and Gil Meier, political science junior, allowed a combined three hits in four innings, the Wolfpack offense could not score any runs despite getting runners on first and second two more times. Mobile won 11-0.

The next day, Showalter started the game and pitched into the ninth inning.

But once again, the offense could do little to support Showalter or to help out the defense.

Going into the ninth inning, the score was tied at one.

In the ninth, the first Ram batter singled and advanced to second on an error.

Showalter got the batter out, then hit the next batter.

The second out of the inning came at home on a fielder’s choice.

A Mobile single scored an unearned, and another error would result in three more unearned runs. Showalter left the game after eight and two-thirds innings. He allowed eight hits and only one earned run with one walk.

Mobile held the ‘Pack in the bottom of the ninth, and won, 5-1.

Pre-engineering sophomore Greg Veltri got Loyola’s only two hits.

“We were one run away from splitting that series,” Mucerino said, “and they’re the best team in the conference.”

The ‘Pack had an easier time against Franklin College of Indiana.

Thanks to timely hitting by the Wolfpack and two errors by his defense, the Grizzlies’ starter lasted only until the third inning.

The first reliever restored order until the fifth, when Loyola benefited from another error, scoring two of its five unearned runs in the game.

Starting pitcher Alan Bouterie, economics senior, lost his no-hitter and shutout in the seventh inning.

The Wolfpack’s 18 hits and five earned runs were more than enough in the 10-3 win.

Veltri went four of four from the plate and also reached on a walk.

Schenck went three of five with six RBI. Brian Sullivan, communications freshman, added three hits and an RBI in four at-bats.

Franklin had a better start to the second game, as they scored two runs before the ‘Pack’s first at-bat.

Not to be outdone, Loyola answered with five runs in the bottom of the first.

The Grizzlies would score on an error in the third inning.

At the start of the seventh inning, the Wolfpack had taken a 7-3 lead.

In a strong relief performance, Balsamo was about to close out the inning but allowed a three-run double with two outs.

The ‘Pack responded with an insurance run in the seventh, before blowing the game open in the eighth for an 11-6 victory.

Loyola (8-26) had 15 hits, and Franklin (5-11) had eight.

“We got everybody in [the series],” Mucerino said. “Guys are doing what they’re asked. For example, Bouterie and Schenck start close, whatever.”

Political science junior Chris Chappuis, had a run, a hit and an RBI against Franklin.

“Everyone is coming together as a team and everyone is learning. You can play with anybody in the world when you play together,” he said.

“Every series the rest of the year is important,” he added.

(Ignacio Chacon)