For the first time since 2000, the Loyola baseball team received votes in the national poll. But the ‘Pack faced the red-hot William Carey Crusaders last weekend at Turchin Stadium.
William Carey, ranked 13th in the nation, swept the Wolfpack (12-11) and extended its winning streak to 19 games. The Crusaders (22-4) are the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference leaders with a conference mark of 14-1.
The ‘Pack fell into a tie for third in conference with Mobile and Belhaven. The teams trail Spring Hill by one game for second place.
In contrast to the Wolfpack’s recent down-to-the-wire games, all three games against William Carey were decided in the early innings. The Crusaders led each game by the fourth inning and kept its lead to sweep the three-game series.
A lead-off double by the Crusaders on the first pitch of the series and two runs in the inning set the tone for a weekend of playing from behind.
The ‘Pack made a late rally in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs. Economics/business sophomore David Lauricella started the inning with a double to leftfield. Communications junior Hudson Miller followed with a single to center to bring Lauricella home.
After a pitching change by the Crusaders, Loyola played small ball to add one more run. Miller stole second base unchallenged and general business junior Justine Perrone walked. Two batters later, general business junior David Sudyka hit a single to bring Miller home, making it 3-2 William Carey.
But in the top of the eighth, William Carey scored two runs via errors by the ‘Pack, giving the Crusaders a 5-2 victory.
Communications junior David Musch took the loss for Loyola. He pitched seven innings, gave up five runs and struck out eight batters.
The Crusaders’ Ryan Jordan took the win. He pitched seven innings and gave up two runs.
Though the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader had a promising start for Loyola, William Carey matched Loyola’s early runs en route to victory.
In a flip-flop of events, Loyola started the game the same way William Carey did the night before.
Sudyka led the bottom of the first off with a single to center. Communications junior Kevin Kalina sent Sudyka home after hitting a line-drive double to leftfield. With the bases loaded, biology junior David Greiner hit a single to bring Lauricella home, making it 4-0 Loyola.
But William Carey answered. In the top of the second, the Crusaders put five runs on the scoreboard, half of their game total of 10.
By the end of the fourth inning, the score was 10-6 William Carey.
In the fifth inning, criminal justice junior Jeff Pippenger relieved marketing junior Justin Harris. Pippenger then shut down the Crusaders.
But the ‘Pack could not overcome the deficit and fell 10-8. Coach Gregg Mucerino showed his disgust for the umpire’s rulings more than once, leaving the dugout to argue his case.
“It would have been a different game without the bad calls,” Mucerino said.
Loyola’s Harris got the loss, pitching two innings and giving up seven runs on six hits.
In the last game of the series,William Carey’s Kyle Keeton took the win, pitching six innings, giving up one run on six hits and striking out four.
Henington grabbed his second save of the day and third of the series, facing only two hitters and retiring both to secure the Crusaders’ win.
The only offensive spark by either club occurred in the third inning when the Crusaders’ Nick Easley hit a three-run home run to put William Carey up 4-0.
The Crusaders’ bullpen contained the ‘Pack’s offense, resulting in a 5-1 loss.
On Sunday, the ‘Pack played the University of New Orleans at Maestri Field. The last time the two teams met was in 1972.
UNO’s arms kept the Wolfpack bats quiet. The Privateer’s Thomas Diamond allowed Loyola’s only hit of the game and threw five innings for the win.
In the bottom of the first, UNO scored six runs. The Privateers beat the Wolfpack 8-0.
Chris Anderson can be reached at [email protected].
