PULASKI, Tenn. – Tennessee Southern split the opening day of its Southern States Athletic Conference weekend series with No. 9 Loyola on Friday at Bobby Walker Field, falling in the opener before rallying for a 9–8 victory in the nightcap.
In game one, Loyola claimed a 6–1 win despite a strong swing from the Firehawks in the middle innings.
The Wolf Pack struck quickly in the first inning with a three-run home run and added another run in the second to take a 4–0 lead.
Tennessee Southern broke through in the third when Masato Mizumori launched a solo home run to right field to put the Firehawks on the board.
Loyola added two more runs in the fourth inning to extend the margin to 6–1, and Tennessee Southern was unable to mount a comeback.
Mizumori accounted for the Firehawks' lone hit of the game, finishing 1-for-2 with a home run and the team's only RBI. Zac Wilson also reached base after being hit by a pitch.
On the mound, Jake Stuteville got the start before the Firehawks turned to Barrett Brown, Royce Allen, Blake Medley, and Bryston Greene out of the bullpen to close out the contest.
The Firehawks responded in game two, using timely hitting and a balanced offensive attack to earn a 9–8 victory over the nationally ranked Wolf Pack.
Loyola scored first in the opening inning, but Tennessee Southern answered in the second. Cooper Phillips reached with a single and came around to score when Gage Beckner delivered an RBI single to center field to tie the game.
After Loyola briefly moved back in front in the third, the Firehawks erupted for three runs in the fourth. Reagan Tomlin doubled down the left-field line and Anthony Pastrana followed with an RBI double to tie the game. Phillips then doubled to left-center to drive in Pastrana, and Beckner stole second with Phillips scoring on the throw to give Tennessee Southern a 4–2 lead.
Tennessee Southern added two more runs in the sixth. Beckner singled and stole second before Evan Nelson lined a two-run single down the right-field line to extend the lead to 6–2.
The Firehawks continued to add insurance in the seventh when Pastrana singled and Phillips doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Hudson Schmitz then delivered a pinch-hit two-run single to push the advantage to 8–2.
Loyola rallied with a five-run eighth inning to tighten the contest, but Tennessee Southern answered in the bottom half. Nelson singled and later scored on a groundout by Tomlin to give the Firehawks a 9–7 lead.
The Wolf Pack added a run in the ninth, but Collin Perkins recorded the final outs to secure the victory.
Phillips led the Firehawks with three hits, including two doubles, and scored three runs. Nelson finished with three hits and two RBIs, while Beckner added two hits, an RBI, and two stolen bases. Pastrana collected two hits including a double and scored twice, and Schmitz drove in two runs with his pinch-hit single. Tomlin added a double and two RBIs.
On the mound, Jay Davis earned the win after striking out six across 6.1 innings. Drew Sharp worked the seventh inning, and Perkins recorded the save to close out the win.
The series concludes Saturday, March 14 at Bobby Walker Field.
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