Crespi Pulls Loyola Back in Line, 7-5

At the preseason baseball meeting, the Del Rey League coaches predicted that there would be a dogfight for the league championship.

They were right.

Entering Wednesday’s game against Crespi High, Loyola was the last undefeated team. Crespi had lost once and was coming off an upset victory over Notre Dame.

Crespi provided evidence of the league’s parity Wednesday by defeating the Cubs, 7-5, at Valley College.

Loyola Coach Kelly Nicholson wasn’t surprised by the loss.

“I don’t think anybody will run away with it,” Nicholson said. “It should come down to the final week.”

Both teams sent at least nine batters to the plate in the first inning.

Chris Spears (2-1) walked three of the first four Loyola batters. With two outs, Kevin Mullen doubled to score Shaun Jones and Ryan Reid. The Cubs then loaded the bases on a walk, a fielder’s choice and a Rich Egan single that scored Mullen.

Loyola pitcher Tim O’Donnell (2-1) had control problems in the first inning as well.

“He usually has a little bit better control,” Nicholson said. “He needed to bear down and stick with it.”

O’Donnell, who walked the first two batters, gave up four runs in the first inning. Chris Greenamyer drove in Ron Eustis, and Scott Campbell, who is hitting .421, drove in two more runs on a standing triple to center field. Campbell then scored when Drew Kempf grounded out to second base.

“I told them that we have to play baseball for a full seven innings,” Crespi Coach Mitch Fair said. “Today we battled.”

Loyola tied the game at 5 in the top of the fourth inning, but the Celts went ahead for good in the bottom of the inning.

Crespi’s Pat Murphy, who led off the inning with a single to left field, advanced on a wild pitch and scored when third baseman Ryan Reid fumbled a Greenamyer grounder. Crespi scored one more run in the fifth.

Although pleased with the overall play of the Celts, Fair felt that too many runners, six in all, had been left on base.

“Were not a good enough club to leave men on base,” Fair said.

Crespi is 4-5 overall, 2-1 in league. Loyola is 7-3, 3-1.