Regardless of how the season concludes, the 2008 Loyola Wolfpack baseball team makes breaking records look effortless.
Accounting senior Brian Mason recently became Loyola’s all-time hit leader earlier this month by surpassing Doug Neill’s record of 226 hits set in 2002.
He is currently batting .420 (good for third in the conference) with four home runs and 43 RBIs for the season. His on-base percentage of .516 demonstrates his maturity and patience at the plate. Mason has batted .349 over his four-year career at Loyola.
Batting behind Mason in the cleanup spot is management junior Joshua Borges. He has already left his mark in the record books after setting the Loyola single season home run record with his 13th home run of the season.
He has a .415 batting average with 64 RBIs this season. His most impressive statistics may be his Barry Bonds-like .756 slugging percentage. “It feels good (to break the home run record). I’ve worked so hard to be where I’m at now,” Borges said.
No other teammate has more than four home runs this season. Borges, the third baseman, has been responsible for nearly half of the team’s power output with 13 of the team’s 29 long balls. He is tied for the conference lead with Craig Barnes of LSU-Shreveport.
Mason and Borges have both expressed their desire about continuing to play baseball at a higher level following this season, which will be their senior year at Loyola.
“It seems farfetched, but If I continue to put up the numbers that I have been putting up, I think I’ll have a fair shot (at playing at the next level),” Borges said.
He appreciates his teammates’ contributions saying “Their support really makes the little things easy so I can focus on playing baseball the way I know I can.”
Mason, an accounting major, is currently weighing his post-graduation options. He has expressed his desire to continue playing, and MLB affiliated scouts representing the Mets organization have been in attendance to get a first hand look at what he has to offer. Mason plans to move back to New York after the season where he hopes to continue playing.
Elsewhere on the diamond, Wolfpack pitcher and outfielder Kevin Fontenot, physics junior, is the new single season record holder for stolen bases after snagging 43 bags in this year’s regular season.
Fontenot has hit .308 on the season with two home runs and 15 RBIs from the leadoff spot. He also leads the team in runs scored thanks in part to the likes of Mason and Borges batting behind him coupled with his .429 on base percentage.
However, the junior with a .297 career average will be forced to carry more of the burden offensively at Segnette field next season with the departure of a strong senior class.
The Wolfpack have compiled an 18-31 record overall this season and just a 10-24 mark in conference play. Offensively, they have been consistent, averaging almost six and a half runs per contest.
This trio of Mason, Borges and Fontenot have seen their hard work pay off this season, and their accomplishments come at a time where they will need to step up their game to extend their season.
Mason and Borges were named to the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference All-Conference team, and Taylor Domengeaux, general business freshman, was awarded with the GCAC Gold Glove team.
This week the Wolfpack will begin the GCAC where they will face the highest seed – the University of Mobile. Mobile has a league best 38-12 record and is 27-5 in conference play.
The tournament setup features a double elimination system. All teams in the conference qualify for the tournament and conference records will determine the seeding of the bracket.
If the team wins the conference tournament, they will advance to the regional tournament on May 7.
Sean Murphy can be reached at [email protected].
Eduardo Gonzalez contributed to this story and can be reached at [email protected].
Joshua Borges crosses home plate giving the ‘Pack a run. Borges will return to play for the ‘Pack next year as a senior. (The Maroon)
