LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Talladega College baseball team split a pair of ranked games today with a 5-4 win over No. 15 Loyola University (La.) and fell 13-3 to No. 2 Georgia Gwinnett College. The Tornadoes are now 15-10 on the season.

Talladega is back in action next weekend when it travels to face GCAC foe Dillard University for a three-game series that starts on Saturday, March 23 with a doubleheader. First pitch for game one is set for 1 p.m.

Game 1: Talladega 5, No. 15 Loyola (La.) 4 – 7 innings

No. 15 Loyola (17-7) took an early 2-0 lead after the first, but the Tornadoes were able to tie it up in the bottom of the third off a hit, a wild pitch, and a sac fly.

Talladega added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth to push its lead to 3-1 but after a scoreless fifth for both teams. The Tornadoes used a single from Armando Jackson with one down and a two-run home run over the left wall by Jose Santiago to make it a 5-1 game after the sixth.

Loyola threatened in the top of the seventh with one down as it used three hits to plate a pair of runs to make it a 5-4 game with two outs and the tying run on third. Talladega reliever Juan De Dios was able to lock down the final out with a strikeout.

Starting pitcher Samuel Guadamuz threw four innings allowing two runs (both earned) on six hits while striking out one to pick up the win (4-2). De Dios earned the save (1) after scattering four hits in three innings of work while allowing two runs (both earned) and fanning four.

Miguel Oropeza and Jackson combined going 4-for-5 with a run scored, a double, and a stolen base.

Santiago finished the game going 1-for-2 with a run scored, a walk, two RBIs, and a home run.

Game 2: Talladega 3, No. 2 Georgia Gwinnett 13 – 7 innings

With one down in the top of the first, Talladega's Darlin Fernandez reached first after being plunked. He later stole second and took third when the throw-down was sent into the outfield.  Fernandez scored easily off of Miguel Oropeza's double into center to make it 1-0 Tornadoes.  Following a strikeout for the second out of the frame, Oropeza scored when Isaac Guzman singled to right before the inning ended.

The Grizzlies (23-5) tied the game at two in the bottom of the first on three hits and an error.  

Georgia Gwinnett took the lead in the bottom of the second when it plated four runs on two hits with one being a two-run home run and an error to go up, 6-2.

After a scoreless third for both teams, Talladega was able to cut the lead to 6-3 when it used a walk and two singles in the top of the fourth.

The Grizzlies responded in their half of the fourth when it pushed its lead to 7-2 before posting six runs in the bottom of the seventh to run rule the game at, 13-3.

Guzman went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate for Talladega while adding an RBI and a run scored. Teammate Oropeza was 2-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored, and an RBI.

Starter Nomar Caraballo took the loss (1-1). He allowed five runs (all earned) on five hits in 1.2 innings of work. He struck out one and walked no one.