Knights hit the road for crosstown battle

NAIA BASEBALL  ·  NON-CONFERENCE  ·  GAME PREVIEW

KNIGHTS HIT THE ROAD

SUNO heads to Loyola looking to snap a two-game skid against one of the region's hottest clubs

  WHERE  Loyola University · New Orleans, LA     WHEN  Tuesday, March 10, 2026     FIRST PITCH    6:00 PM CT     FORMAT  Non-Conference · Single Game

The Southern University at New Orleans Knights make the short trip across the metro Tuesday evening to face the Loyola University Wolf Pack in a non-conference matchup on Loyola's home field. SUNO enters at 6-4 having dropped back-to-back games — a 27-9 blowout at Dillard and a hard-luck 6-5 loss at Tougaloo — and the Knights need a strong response before the HBCUAC schedule intensifies.

Standing in the way is a Loyola club that has been among the hottest teams in the metro, going 16-7 on the young season with a lineup batting .302 as a team and a pitching staff whose 5.68 team ERA is a full two runs better than SUNO's. A road win here would be a statement victory and the confidence boost the Knights need heading into the stretch run of conference play.

SUNO KNIGHTS

LOYOLA WOLF PACK

01

BOUNCE-BACK MODE

SUNO has dropped two straight for the first time all season and needs to respond. The Knights went on a dominant four-game winning streak in mid-February, outscoring opponents 41-13 and looking like one of the best clubs in the conference. That team still exists — Tuesday is the chance to prove it. The roster is too talented to drop three in a row, and the short trip across the metro removes any excuse about fatigue or distance. Mental resilience and clean execution are the only things standing between SUNO and a much-needed win.

02

JIMENEZ & SHEPHERD MUST CARRY THE OFFENSE

When SUNO's offense has run at its best, two players have been at the center of it. Jimenez leads the team with 10 RBI and two home runs while batting .344 — he is the Knights' most dangerous power threat and the player Loyola's staff will game plan around. Shepherd provides the complementary dimension every elite lineup needs, hitting .370 with seven stolen bases and nine walks. His ability to reach base and disrupt pitchers gives SUNO a gear that few teams in the conference can match. Both need to be at their best Tuesday night.

03

GERALDO & GUERIN PROVIDE THE DEPTH

SUNO's lineup doesn't rely on just two players — and that depth will matter against a quality Loyola pitching staff. Geraldo has been one of the most consistent contact hitters on the roster, batting .353 with 12 hits and 8 runs scored in limited starts. Guerin adds another dangerous dimension at .348 with two triples. Against a Loyola staff that has allowed over 86 walks on the season, SUNO's middle of the order has a legitimate chance to put crooked numbers on the board if the top of the lineup can set the table.

04

NUNEZ & MATTHEWS HOLD THE KEY ON THE MOUND

SUNO's two most capable arms will need to step up in a big way. Nunez is the staff workhorse, having logged 19.1 innings — nearly a third of all SUNO innings this season — with a 4.19 ERA and 14 strikeouts. Matthews has been the sharper arm when deployed, posting a 2.57 ERA with 9 strikeouts in 7 innings. Against a Loyola lineup averaging more than seven runs per game, whoever takes the ball must keep the Knights in it early — avoiding the big inning will be the difference between a competitive game and a blowout.

05

KEEP COHEN OFF THE MOUND — BUILD AN EARLY LEAD

Loyola closer Cohen has been untouchable, converting all 6 save opportunities while surrendering nothing in 9.2 innings with 14 strikeouts. If SUNO falls behind late, there is virtually no margin for error — he simply doesn't give games back. The Knights' best path to victory is building an early lead through the patient, disciplined approach that has produced 49 walks on the season. Working counts, getting into Loyola's bullpen, and keeping Cohen from ever warming up is the blueprint. SUNO has the lineup to do it — they just have to execute from the first pitch.

SUNO AT LOYOLA UNIVERSITY     TUESDAY · MARCH 10

LOCATION

Segnette Field · Westwego, LA

6:00 PM CT

SUNO  Knights Baseball     Stats through Mar. 9, 2026  ·  All stats via NAIA official reports