WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. -- A three-run seventh saw 22nd-ranked and No. 3 seed Loyola University New Orleans complete the climb out of an early hole to defeat the 14th-ranked and No. 2 seed Bellevue University baseball team 6-2 on Monday in each team's first game of the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round – Williamsburg Bracket.
With the loss BU drops to 39-13 while Loyola improves their overall mark to 37-17.
Loyola advances to the winner's bracket final where they will meet the winner of No. 1 seed University of the Cumberlands and No. 4 seed Park University tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.
The loss drops Bellevue into the loser's bracket where they will face No. 5 seed University of Saint Francis tomorrow at 11 a.m. in an elimination game.
Steven Still (10-2) allowed just one hit over his final 6.2 innings as he logged a 142-pitch complete game. He allowed just one earned run on six hits and struck out 13 Bruins against a pair of walks.
Jake Lacey hit the first pitch Still threw over the left field fence to stake Bellevue to a 1-0 lead. Later in the first, Brendan Luther dumped a single into left field which the Loyola left fielder overran, allowing Alec Ackerman to come home with a second run.
Loyola equalized in the third, scoring a pair of runs on a two-out single by Marcus Steen.
The Bruins threatened in the bottom of the third with back-to-back singles from Steven Elsner and Luther but Still induced a double play to escape the jam.
Still allowed just one more hit, a two-out single to Anthony Lind in the sixth before retiring the final 10 Bruin batters of the game, striking out six.
Dustin Schorie (7-2) threw well for Bellevue through six before departing following consecutive walks to lead off the seventh. His final line saw him allow four runs (three earned) on five hits and strike out five while walking four.
Jace Wessels came on in relief but the Wolfpack struck for three runs in the frame with just one ball leaving the infield in the inning.
Loyola tacked on an insurance run in the eighth, with a run-scoring ground ball from Landon Trosclair, to take a 6-2 lead.
Jayden Vinson worked a scoreless ninth to allow the Bruin bats one final chance.
Luther was the lone Bruin to post a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4, while Lind and Nick Grade each singled and walked.
