Loyola’s Freshman Baseball team pulled double duty over the weekend and came away with a solid two-game sweep over Mission League foe St. Francis at Hank Hernandez Field on Saturday (Mar. 9). With the victories, Loyola improves to 5-1 on the year, with its only loss coming to the Cubs’ JV team to open the season. 

In the 9 a.m. match, the Cubs came out of the gates hot, taking a 4-0 lead (scoring three in the first frame) before St. Francis answered with three runs in the fifth. However, the hot bat of Alex Orman ’22 kept Loyola out in front as the freshman recorded 3 hits (3-for-4) and 2 RBIs to lead the Cubs to a 5-4 victory.

On the mound, Will Allen ’22 went 4.2 innings and struck out three. The game was finished by Andrew Bustad ’22, who went 1.1 innings (2 K’s) and Tino Valdez ’22, who also struck out three. 

In the 11 a.m. game, it was a dramatic walk-off winner that helped Loyola to a 5-4 decision and a sweep of the series against the Golden Knights. After falling behind by 4 runs in the first inning, the Cubs would eventually tie the game with a 4-run inning of their own thanks to Jackson Shea ’22 and Bustad’s hitting in the sixth. An error in the bottom of the ninth would score the winning run for the home team, giving Loyola the 5-4 decision.

Shea went 6.0 innings on the mound, fanning 7 and adding 2 hits (3 RBIs). Will Richardson ’22 (3-for-5) and Allen ’22 (2 hits) would round out the Loyola offense, while Joey Frey ’22 pitched in relief of Shea and had two K’s.

Now 5-1 on the year, the Frosh Cubs will play in a home-and-away series with another Mission League team in Crespi on Thursday (Mar. 14) at home at 3:30 p.m. The team then takes a trip to Encino on Saturday (Mar. 16) for a 10 a.m. game against the Celts.

Follow Loyola Baseball all season long here on REPu and on Twitter/Instagram: (@LoyolaAthletics/@LoyolaHigh)