Slow but Promising Start for Loyola Club Baseball
The Loyola Greyhounds Club Baseball team picks up the bats again to start the Spring 2023 season. Loyola maintained a record of 4-9 throughout the Fall 2022 semester. So far this season, Loyola has started with a record of 0-4 in two series against Towson and Delaware. The Greyhounds have two more series consisting of 6 games to improve their season record. In Loyola’s first game of this season, they took on the Towson Tigers Club Baseball team.
The Greyhounds took on Towson at Calvert Hall on March 19. The game was the finale of a three-game series that was rained out in the Fall 2022 semester. The temperature was around freezing with a wind chill bringing the feels-like temperature into the 20s, which made for an interesting game.
Loyola’s third baseman, Matt Moody ‘23 said, “It was cold out and the key to success in the field was to stay warm. In warm-ups, we had jackets on but gripping the ball was a struggle and it definitely played a factor in the game.”
During Sunday’s matchup, Loyola had its first chance at batting which started the game off hot. The 1st inning brought three runs in for Loyola which carried them until the 4th inning where Towson was able to tie the game up at three with five innings remaining in the ball game. Loyola regained a lead in the 6th inning where the Greyhounds tacked on another four runs to take a commanding 7-3 lead.
The second half of the game was in Towson’s favor as they were able to reduce Loyola’s lead. Towson started the inning with the first man reaching base, as well as the next batter. With a deep hit by Towson, they were able to cut the lead in half and eventually scored another 5 runs. With only two innings left, Loyola looked to climb back in the game, but they fell to Towson 10-7.
Shortstop Matt Lavorgna ‘23 spoke about the game, “The 4th inning was a big hit to our lead from the first, which allowed them to get back into the game. Defensively in that inning, we made some errors but Towson just got the benefit of the bad bounces. Also, the 7th inning is where we struggled, we let them run away with the game.”
Fast forward to the next weekend, Loyola traveled to the University of Delaware for its second conference series in the Spring 2023 semester. The weekend series was another hard-fought weekend for the Greyhounds, but unfortunately, their combined fourteen runs in three games could not earn them a victory.
Loyola pitcher Mike Mammano ‘23 spoke about the Delaware series, “We had no problem producing runs, just like the Towson game the weekend before we could score seven runs. I think we are just rusty and that we look good, so I think the season will turn around.”
Loyola Club Baseball only has a few series and games left in the Spring 2023 season and is looking forward to turning the second half of the season into a winning record. Depending on the other teams in the conference and the hopes Loyola turns the season around, the team looks to make the playoffs.
For seniors, this is their last chance to play and Mike Mammano says, “This is it for my baseball career and I am not ready to leave the sport without trying to win every last game the team has. We have some good talent on the team and with everyone playing at the top tier we are good enough to win.”
With team morale high, Loyola looks onward to the remaining games that they play. Despite starting 0-4, Loyola wants to put those games in the past and look to dominate for the remainder of the season.