Loyola Hangs On to NCAA Dreams After 1 Loss, 1 Win

There’s still life in Stillwater, at least for Loyola Marymount.

The Lions baseball team, on the brink of elimination here in the NCAA Midwest baseball tournament, came back to beat McNeese State, 12-4, Saturday night after losing, 10-6, earlier in the day to Wichita State.

The late-night victory--which ended about 11:15 p.m. locally--sent McNeese back to Lake Charles, La., and left the tournament with three teams still in contention for the regional title and a spot in the College World Series next week.

Arkansas and Southwest Louisiana were eliminated earlier.

Wichita and host Oklahoma State, both 2-0 here, will play at 1 p.m. today. Loyola will face the loser at 7 tonight, with the loser of that game going home in the double-elimination format.

The Lions pitching was in shambles after the Wichita game, but the staff got what it needed when Mike Jones pitched a complete-game five-hitter in the nightcap.

The victory raised Loyola’s record to 47-17, and Jones improved to 7-3. More importantly, the Lions belted three home runs and ran away in the fourth inning, allowing Jones to relax and save the bullpen after four Lions were needed in the first game.

Loyola helped hasten its own demise in the opener when four Lions pitchers walked 13 batters, 7 of whom scored.

Things unraveled quickly for starter Scott Neill, who lost his fourth game in nine decisions.

Neill got two quick outs but walked the next two batters, then gave up three straight singles and a two-run triple to spot Wichita State a 5-0 lead after one inning.

Neill and Terry Seward, who relieved him in the fifth, worked in and out of trouble afterward, but gave up only one more run through six innings, that run coming on three walks and a foul pop in the fifth inning.

Loyola chipped away for single runs in the third, fifth and sixth to stay within range. Doubles by Miah Bradbury and Carl Fraticelli accounted for the first run.

Tim Williams homered to center for the second run, and an error, stolen base and run-scoring double by Kirk Mears brought the Lions to 6-3.

But Seward lost the plate in the seventh, and the game got out of hand. The left-hander walked the first three batters before Lions Coach Dave Snow brought in right-hander Brian Clancy, who immediately walked in a run.

He eventually walked in two more runs and gave up a run-scoring fly to right before Snow brought in Kalani Bush to put out the fire. Wichita finished the inning with four runs on one hit.

Bradbury made the score respectable with a three-run homer in the eighth, his ninth of the season. The Lions actually outhit Wichita, 11-8, but couldn’t overcome their own charity.

The victory went to Wichita’s Greg Brummett, who improved to 9-4. Wichita is 52-13-1.

The second game began on a similar tone, with McNeese State (31-31) striking for three first-inning runs, highlighted by slugger Chip Stratton’s 17th home run following a walk and single.

Loyola got two runs back in the bottom of the first on Travis Tarchione’s RBI double.

McNeese added a run in the second that Loyola matched in the third when Kirk Mears and Don Sparks hit doubles.

But McNeese’s 4-3 lead was short-lived. McNeese starter Jon Miller walked the first two Lion batters in the fourth, and then Loyola’s big guns got untracked.

Mears got a bunt single, and Tarchione got an odd double that ricocheted off the third baseman’s glove and past the shortstop.

That set the table for Sparks, who slugged a long home run, his 12th, over the left field fence. McNeese went to left-hander Dondi Quarles, who hardly spelled relief.

Brian Turang greeted him with his 15th homer of the season, followed by Bradbury’s 10th over the center-field fence.

The Lions posted seven runs to give Jones a 10-4 cushion before the third pitcher of the inning, Mark Bowling, calmed the rally.

The Lions padded the advantage to 12-4 in the sixth on a hit, error, sacrifice fly by Williams and an RBI single by Bradbury.

Sparks had a homer, double and 5 RBIs in the victory. Jones struck out 10 and walked 5.

Today’s starter is uncertain. If freshman Mike McNary is unable to go due to some arm tenderness, Bush may be the choice.

Baseball Notes

Don Sparks’ 3-for-4 tournament opener against Arkansas on Friday gave him 101 hits, making him the first Lion ever in triple figures for a season. . . . After the game Lions Coach Dave Snow alluded to Sparks’ appropriate nickname. He said, “It’s kind of funny. Donny’s nickname is Oink and he had a big day against the Hogs.” . . . Carl Fraticelli lost a fly ball in the sun, giving Arkansas a single in the seventh. But he hit a fly ball in the ninth that the Arkansas right fielder lost in the sun. Fraticelli got a triple out of it and later scored. . . . In winning his 12th game on Friday, left-hander Steve Surico estimated that he threw 70% breaking balls. “The game was dictated by Surico’s performance,” Snow said. . . . If the Lions survive to Monday, Surico said he’ll be ready to pitch. . . . Loyola recorded an unusual caught-stealing play against Wichita State. Lions catcher Miah Bradbury got the ball to second so quickly that Shockers runner P. J. Forbes stopped and got into an extended rundown. The play went catcher to second to first to second to first to short. . . . Loyola also threw out a Wichita runner at the plate.