In a showdown between the top two teams in the Gopher Conference Mankato Loyola took control of the conference with an 8-2 victory over the United South Central baseball team in Mankato.

Ryan Willaert hit two, two-run shots for the 10th-ranked Crusaders (9-3, 6-1) and Toby Turbes limited the 17th-ranked Rebels (8-5, 5-2 Gopher) to three hits in seven innings of work.

Turbes struck out nine and allowed three walks.

“If we want to compete at a high level we need to bring a better game to the ballpark,” said USC head coach Pat Frank.

Rebels senior Nick Fure gave up nine hits, four earned runs, walked one and struck out eight in six innings.

Junior Eric Lackey had a two-run triple for USC in the sixth while juniors Anthony Stenzel and Dustin Dylla 1-for-2.

The Rebels committed three errors in the field and fell behind 7-0 before getting on the board.

Mankato Loyola 8, USC 2

USC 000 002 0 — 2 3 3

Loyola 220 031 x — 8 9 1

WP—Toby Turbes 7 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K

LP—Nick Fure 6 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 K