With a chance to pick up some ground on the rest of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, the Loyola baseball team hosted William Carey College last weekend at Turchin Stadium, where the ‘Pack has yet to win.

“The last few teams we have been playing there have been [good],” computer information systems freshman Pat Menesick said. “I guess [Segnette] is really our home stadium.”

Loyola hitters did fairly well in the series, as four players hit over .400. But the pitchers had problems, particularly with unearned runs.

“I don’t think it’s us being freshmen, but I don’t know what it is,” Menesick said. “We’ve been practicing a lot better [defensively]. Hopefully, it will carry over into the games.”

Head coach Gregg Mucerino shared that hope.

“It’s a matter of putting nine innings together,” he said. “Sometimes the offense does well, and the pitching doesn’t show up, or the defense struggles…any combination.”

In the first game, starter and management senior Scott Schenck struggled, allowing six runs on six hits in two-and-one-third innings.

Schenck’s record dropped to 2-6, despite having the second-best earned-run average (5.88) on staff. He is also second on the team in hits with 35.

Communications senior Brad Showalter allowed only one earned run in two-and-two-thirds innings of middle relief, but the closers struggled to stop the bleeding in the seven-inning, 14-1 loss.

“They hit a lot of gaps. They just got base hit after base hit,” Menesick said.

It was the Wolfpack batters, however, who came out strong in the second game against the Crusaders.

After the ‘Pack left two runners on base in the first inning, communications freshman Brian Sullivan led off the second inning with a single.

Pinch runner Cassedy Bass, communications freshman, got to third on a steal and an error, and Menesick singled him home.

Two more singles would get Menesick home before Carey could record the first out of the inning.

The first out was a sacrifice fly by pre-engineering sophomore Greg Veltri.

Three other players – Chappuis, Schenck and communications senior Ryan Moity – had RBIs before two unearned runs scored.

After two innings, the Wolfpack was up 7-0.

“I was excited,” Mucerino said.

But William Carey responded in the top of the third, as their first three batters reached base.

A run scored on a wild pitch. After an RBI, economics senior Alan Bouterie hit the next batter.

After the hit batter scored, Showalter came in and retired the side.

Showalter left after allowing two walks, a hit and two unearned runs in one-and-one-third innings.

Still, he took the loss, dropping his record to 1-8.

“That was tough luck on his part,” Mucerino said.

The Crusaders took the lead in the fifth inning and clamped down for the 8-7 win.

“We had a good chance to split the series with one of the conference’s top teams again,” Mucerino said.

The doubleheader with Southeastern on Tuesday was cancelled due to rain.

Loyola will close out its Segnette schedule against LSU-Shreveport tomorrow and Sunday.