Photo by Brady Dennis Minnesota Valley Lutheran pitcher Kaden Peterson delivers a pitch during a nonconference baseball game against Mankato Loyola on Friday at Mueller Park.

NEW ULM — R.J. Beal’s RBI single with two outs in the top of the sixth inning broke a 1-1 tie as Mankato Loyola edged Minnesota Valley Lutheran 2-1 Friday afternoon in a nonconference baseball game at Mueller Park.

T.J. O’Malley got the win for the Crusaders. He went the distance and allowed one run on four hits while striking out seven.

Kaden Peterson was charged with the loss for the Chargers (7-5). Peterson scattered four hits and struck out 11.

Aiden Eckberg had two hits and the lone RBI for MVL.

“This was a good pitching performance by both pitchers today,” MVL head coach Jim Buboltz said. “Both threw extremely well — we had a few more chances and we left [six] men on base. We had chances early.”

MVL threatened right away when Peterson led off the bottom of the first with a double and took third on a wild pitch. But he got no further.

In the second inning, the Chargers got a one-out walk from Kyan Kube, followed by a Jacob Kramer base hit.

But O’Malley again worked out of the jam with no damage.

MVL did take a 1-0 lead on O’Malley and company in the bottom of the third.

Peterson walked, stole second and scored on Eckberg’s single to right field.

Loyola tied the game in the fourth when Cam Fogel reached on an error and took second on a George Crimmins sacrifice bunt.

An error allowed Fogel to score.

The Crusaders then scored the eventual game-winning run in the sixth.

MVL did have a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh when Peterson walked with two outs and went to third on a wild pitch. But O’Malley again worked out of the jam and won the game.

It was a game in which the Chargers were without some key players.

“We are missing Connor Bode (out for season) and his bat and speed on the bases,” Buboltz said. “He makes things happen. We just got KP (Kaden Peterson) and Brennan Bendix back today and we are down three starters today and we were down five starters earlier in the week.”