Baseball

Loyola wins first-ever NAIA World Series game Saturday

Story courtesy of Loyola sports information

LEWISTON, Idaho – With their backs against the wall at the 2025 Avista NAIA Baseball World Series, the Loyola University New Orleans baseball team defeated the University of British Columbia, 12-9, to claim the program's first-ever win at the Series. The Maroon and Gold will continue to battle through the loser's bracket of the World Series on Monday, taking on No. 7 seed Cumberlands (Ky.) at 1 p.m. CDT. 
 
 
After British Columbia plated the first run of Saturday's matchup in the top of the first, Brandon Mooney started a scoring frenzy with a first-pitch leadoff homer to tie the game, 1-1. Myles Liggans followed that up with a single, and after Liggans stole second, Marcus Steen, who's a native of British Columbia native, singled to give Loyola the lead, 2-1. Landon Manson reached first on a fielder's choice, and Steen scored to add a third run. Anthony Fernandez ended the scoring run with a base hit to left field, bringing Manson home to complete the four-run first inning.
 
 
The Thunderbirds plated four runs in the top of the third to take a one-run lead, 5-4. A single to the right side of the field by Garrett Felix started the bottom of the third for the Pack. Steen put two runners on base with a bunt. After Felix advanced to third on the following play, Cole Romero singled to center, scoring Felix, 5-5.
 
 
Fernandez led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run over the left field fence to take back the lead, 6-5. A two-out base hit by Mooney, followed by a single by Liggans put two runners on. Once the runners advanced from a passed ball, Felix hit one up the middle and scored both runners to take an 8-5 advantage. 
 
 
British Columbia added another run in the fifth to cut the Loyola lead to two, 8-6. The Wolf Pack started the sixth with a leadoff single from Jaxon Buratt. Mooney doubled to left center, setting up runners on the corners. Liggans grounded out to second but scored Buratt to go back up three, 9-6.
 
 
UBC put another two runs on the board in the seventh to slice the Wolf Pack's edge to one, 9-8. The top of the frame ended with a spectacular diving catch in left field by Felix to keep the Pack in front. A leadoff double down the left field line by Manson put the senior in scoring position. Romero added another double of his own, plating Manson to extend the Loyola lead, 10-8. After Romero advanced to third on a fielder's choice, a great bunt by Drew Lee allowed the Lafayette, Louisiana, native to slide home on a squeeze play, 11-8. 
 
 
In the eighth, Mooney doubled off the top of the right field wall to get in scoring position. Then, Liggans singled to left-center to put runners on first and third. A Felix sacrifice fly brought Mooney home to enter the ninth with a four-run lead, 12-8. 
 
 
The Thunderbirds scored one run and put men on the corners in the ninth, but a hit towards Mooney set up a key double play to squash the T-Birds' chances. A running catch in left field by Felix sealed the deal for Loyola's first win in the NAIA World Series.
 
 
Caden Durand earned the save on Saturday, pitching the final 2.2 innings with no earned runs. Durand recorded the final two outs in the seventh to keep the Pack ahead, then kept UBC scoreless in the eighth.
 
 
Pack Facts
 
  • Loyola totaled 17 hits against the Thunderbirds, the Pack's most hits in any game this postseason. Six different Wolf Pack players totaled at least two hits in the game: Brandon Mooney, Myles Liggans, Garrett Felix, Marcus Steen, Cole Romero, and Anthony Fernandez. 
 
  • All of the non-catcher starters scored at least one run on Sunday, with Mooney, Liggans, and Landon Manson all crossing home plate at least twice. 
 
  • Mooney turned in one of the best overall games of his college career on Saturday. He reached at least first base in all five of his plate appearances, going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with a home run, two doubles, and a single, and a walk with three runs scored. 
 
  • Mooney's first career leadoff home run opened the scoring for the Wolf Pack in Saturday's first inning. It was his eighth homer at Loyola and 10th long ball of his collegiate career. 
 
  • Another school record is close to falling for Mooney, who tied Loyola's career doubles record with 54 doubles in three seasons. He's also third in school history in career RBI with 132, trailing only Allen Dennis (215) and Payton Alexander (160).  
 
  • The Wolf Pack second baseman became the first Loyola player ever to score 80 runs in a season, adding to his school record. He's also knocking on the door of the 90-hit mark this year with 89 total hits and more baseball left to play at the NAIA World Series. 
 
  • The top two hitting seasons by a single player in program history have both come this year, as Felix has 83 hits in 2025 and is officially second on Loyola's single-season hits list. Romero's 77 hits also rank in the top 10, currently eighth on the single-season program hits list. 
 
  • Felix's 66 runs this season are also the third-most in program history, behind only Mooney's last two record-breaking seasons. 
 
  • Other notable hitting performances include Myles Liggans (3-for-5, two runs) and Fernandez (2-for-3, two RBI, HR). Fernandez has two home runs in the last three games at the NAIA National Championship and five total this season. 
 
  • Payton Cooper improved to 4-0 this season with the win, while Caden Durand shut the door on the Thunderbirds with no earned runs over the final 2.2 innings to earn his seventh save of the year. 
 
  • Durand's seven saves this season are tied for the most by a player in any season in program history.
 
 
NAIA World Series Schedule
 
All times Central
 
Friday, May 23
Game 1 | #4 Hope International (Calif.) def. #7 Cumberlands (Ky.), 10-4
Game 2 | #1 LSU Shreveport def. #10 Grand View (Iowa), 6-3
Game 3 | #3 Tennessee Wesleyan def. No. 8 Loyola, 7-3
Game 4 | #2 Georgia Gwinnett def. #9 British Columbia, 11-1 (8)
 
Saturday, May 24
Game 5 | #6 Southeastern (Fla.) def. #5 Webber International (Fla.), 15-2 (7)
Game 6 | #7 Cumberlands (Ky.) def. #10 Grand View (Iowa), 8-6, Grand View eliminated
Game 7 | #8 Loyola def. #9 British Columbia, 12-9, British Columbia eliminated
 
Monday, May 26
Game 8 | 1:00 p.m. | #7 Cumberlands (Ky.) vs. #8 Loyola
Game 9 | 5:00 p.m. | #3 Tennessee Wesleyan vs. #2 Georgia Gwinnett
Game 10 | 8:30 p.m. | #4 Hope International (Calif.) vs. #1 LSU Shreveport
 
Tuesday, May 27
Game 11 | 1:00 p.m. | #5 Webber International (Fla.) vs. Loser of Game 9
Game 12 | 5:00 p.m. | Winner of Game 8 vs. Loser of Game 10
Game 13 | 8:30 p.m. | Winner of Game 9 vs. #6 Southeastern (Fla.)
 
Wednesday, May 28
Game 14 | 5:00 p.m. | Winner of Game 11 vs. Loser of Game 13
Game 15 | 8:30 p.m. | Winner of Game 10 vs. Winner of Game 13
 
Thursday, May 29
Game 16 | 5:00 p.m. | Winner of Game 14 vs. Loser of Game 15
Game 17 | 8:30 p.m. | Winner of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 15
 
Friday, May 30
Game 18 | 8:30 p.m. | Potential Semifinal or Championship Game
 
Saturday, May 31
Game 19 | 8:30 p.m. | If necessary, Championship Game
 
(If after Game 17 three teams remain, the team with the most games played receives a bye to Game 19. If there is a tie for games played, the team that won the head-to-head matchup in the tournament shall receive a bye to Game 19. If the tie is still not able to be broken, the higher seed shall advance to Game 19.)