Blue Mountain Christian lost 6-3 to No. 14 Loyola on Saturday in Blue Mountain, Mississippi, completing a three-game Southern States Athletic Conference series sweep, the school said.
Loyola took an early lead when Nathan McDonald hit a two-run home run in the first inning and Jed Cambre added an RBI single in the second to make it 3-0. The Toppers answered in the second when Garret Lance drove in Cody Presley with an RBI single.
Blue Mountain Christian continued to pull closer in the third as Jacob Bryant doubled to right-center to score Jake Meilstrup, and the Toppers tied the game in the fourth when Reise Thomas singled to bring home Jarrett Morris. The game remained deadlocked until the eighth inning.
Cambre delivered a two-run triple in the eighth to give Loyola a 5-3 lead, and an unearned run later in the inning pushed the margin to the final 6-3. Blue Mountain Christian finished with nine hits.
Bryant led the Toppers at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Presley and Gavin Foley each collected two hits. On the mound, Benji Webb (4-3) worked 7.2 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on 10 hits with three strikeouts and six walks. Christian Maness threw 1.1 scoreless innings in relief with one strikeout.
The Toppers are scheduled to play at Bethel University (Tenn.) on April 7. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
