All season long, the Loyola baseball team has fought to stay in contention. After an up-and-down start to the season, the Wolfpack is 15-12 in Gulf Coast Athletic Conference play, tied for second place with William Carey and Mobile. The ‘Pack is 24-26.
“Like I have said all year, we can only control what we do,” coach Doc Beeman said. “We have a chance to end up in second place if we take care of what we need to.”
Loyola’s pitching ruled the opposition on Saturday and Sunday in the ‘Pack’s three game sweep over Spring Hill. The staff gave up six runs through three games.
On Friday, the teams kicked off the series with a 4-2 Loyola win at Stan Galle Field.
In the sixth inning, Loyola took the lead for good, vaulting ahead 3-0. Communications senior Kevin Kalina doubled with the bases loaded to give Loyola a 2-0 lead. Jaynes hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
Criminal justice senior Jeff Pippenger (5-3) won another one for the ‘Pack. He went the complete game, his fifth of the season, and gave up two runs on five hits. He struck out four. Kalina was 1-for-4 with two RBIs.
On Saturday, the two teams played a doubleheader. Loyola won each game by a score of 6-2.
Communications junior Brian Sullivan (4-3) won, throwing a complete game. He gave up two runs on seven hits, striking out five.
Lauricella and Fury each had three hits and an RBI in the contest.
In the second game of the doubleheader, criminal justice senior Gian Balsamo (3-2) pitch another complete game, giving up two runs, one earned, on six hits. Management sophomore Brian Mason had a big day, going 2-for-4 with four RBIs.
“Coach Ambroza has done a great job bringing our arms along,” Beeman said of his staff’s performance. “It makes me confident going into the GCAC tournament with all of our arms.”
At the Alcorn State Baseball Park on Sunday, Loyola lost to Alcorn State 9-7.
In other recent action, Loyola fell to Nicholls State in two games last week at Ray E. Didier Field, 10-6 on Tuesday, and 8-0 on Wednesday.
Loyola is scheduled to play first place LSU-Shreveport tonight at 6:30 p.m. in Shreveport.
Ryan Arena can be reached at [email protected].
