After winning two of three games from Gulf Coast Athletic Conference rival William Carey last week, the Loyola baseball team prepared itself to host second-place Mobile for a three game series at Segnette Field. In the squads’ earlier encounter in the season, Mobile swept the Wolfpack. One run decided each of the three games.
If Mobile was surprised by the ‘Pack’s hardnosed play in that series, the Rams surely remembered it as they came ready to play in Friday night’s game, an 8-1 Ram win.
Mobile starter Simon Badeaux (10-2) pitched a complete game and struck out six Loyola batters.
The ‘Pack’s defense has seen far better nights. Six Loyola errors in the game put the team in a large hole. The day started poorly for the ‘Pack as two Loyola errors led to two Mobile runs in the first inning. The third inning also proved fatal to the team’s chances as three errors in the inning led to three more Mobile runs, extending the lead to 5-0. The Rams never looked back.
“Errors are contagious, and we caught the bug early,” Loyola coach Doc Beeman said.
Communications senior David Musch (0-2) took the loss for Loyola, giving up six runs on seven hits. He struck out six in the contest.
Finance sophomore Marc Jaynes hit a solo home run to account for the ‘Pack’s only run.
Despite four straight losses to Mobile, Loyola refused to back down. The team finally broke through on Saturday, defeating Mobile 4-2 behind starter Jeff Pippenger.
Pippenger (4-4), a criminal justice senior, shut the Rams out through 6.1 innings before he gave up a two-run home run to Mobile’s Tim Watson. He recorded a complete game victory, giving up seven hits and striking out two.
“Jeff has battled all year,” Beeman said. “He isn’t the most talented pitcher on our staff but has been the guy that keeps us in every game he pitches. Saturday, that warrior mentality didn’t just keep us in it, it was enough to win it.”
Communications sophomore Andy Rodriguez singled home Brian Mason, management sophomore, in the second inning to give Loyola the early lead, 1-0.
In the third, the ‘Pack loaded the bases for Jaynes. He came through in the clutch, smacking a two-run single to score teammates David Lauricella, management junior, and Brian McCaulley, math senior. Loyola added its fourth and final run from a Rodriguez sacrifice fly that scored communications senior Kevin Kalina.
Lauricella was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Rodriguez was 1-for-1 with two RBIs.
Mobile shook off the loss though, and roared back in the second game to win 8-2.
Once again, the Rams received a sterling pitching performance, this time from starter Leeland Howard (3-1). Howard went the complete game, giving up two runs on five hits and striking out five.
McCaulley (5-4) gave up six runs on nine hits and took the loss.
“We stack up well against all of the teams in this league,” Beeman said. “We played well one of the three games and got a win in that game. We are not good enough yet to come out, have a bad game and leave with a win.”
Ryan Arena can be reached at [email protected].
