PULASKI, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Southern baseball team fell in two close games with #13 Loyola on Friday. LU took game one 5-1 and avoided a Firehawk come-from-behind effort in an 8-6 game two.

GAME ONE

Loyola scored one run in the second and three in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead.

Devin Buckhalter blasted a solo home run in the sixth to close the gap to 4-1 after six.

Loyola added another run in the seventh to win 5-1.

Josh Simmons got the start and tossed six innings. Simmons allowed three earned runs on six hits and recorded seven strikeouts. Cody Edwards tossed the seventh allowing one earned run.

GAME TWO

The WolfPack scored three runs between the second and third inning to lead 3-0.

In the bottom of the third, Rhett Birdsong singled to left center scoring Landon Rogers. Kevin McCarthy doubled to left center scoring R. Birdsong. UTS trailed 3-2 after three.

Loyola added a pair of runs in the sixth, a run in the seventh, and two more runs in the eighth to lead 8-2.

In the bottom of the eighth, Josh Porter blasted a three-run homer scoring McCarthy and Cannon Raby. Blake Birdsong reached on a fielder's choice to first driving in Chandler Jordan.UTS shaved the WolfPack lead to 8-6.

Tray Lacy got the start and tossed six innings. Lacy allowed five earned runs on nine hits. He fanned eight LU batters. Weston Horton tossed two innings allowing three earned runs. Gerry Wayne Davis worked the ninth without allowing a hit.

NEXT UP

The Firehawks celebrate senior day tomorrow at Bobby Walker Field against #13 Loyola. Senior day festivities will begin at 11:30 a.m., and the first pitch is slated for noon.

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