Feb. 18, 2002

Box Score

Los Angeles, CA (February 18) -- The Loyola Marymount University (LMU) baseball team pulled out a 5-4 win over Cal Poly in front of a crowd of 486 at Page Stadium on Monday afternoon.

The Lions improve to 4-4 with the win while Cal Poly drops to 8-9-1 on the season with the loss.

Cal Poly started their afternoon early scoring its first run in the first inning. LF Bryan Gant drew a lead-off walk from LMU starting pitcher Nick Lovato to start the game. CP SS Scott Anderson then reached safely on an error by Lion 2B Sean Smith, Gant advanced to third on the play. Mustang 1B Tony Alcantar then singled to rightfield scoring Gant and giving Cal Poly an early 1-0 lead.

Cal Poly held the lead until the bottom of the third when LMU jumped on the board with two runs. Smith and SS Billy Lockin would both come around to score for the Lions giving them a slight 2-1 advantage. Smith drew a lead-off walk from CP starting pitcher Greg Bochy. Lockin picked up an RBI scoring Smith with a line drive double down the left field line. Lockin advanced to third as Bochy gave up his second walk of the inning to Lion catcher Jonathan Higashi, he eventually scored on a wild pitch by Bochy.

The Lions added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth as RF Brady Koch hit an RBI single up the middle which scored DH Kris Zacuto. Zacuto came around from second after doubling off the Blue Monster.

Cal Poly would not go quietly though as the Mustangs came back to tie things up 3-3 with runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

LMU broke up the tie in the bottom of the eighth as CF Christian Campos drilled a two-run home run to right field in his first at-bat of the game. Campos came in as a pinch runner for Josh Whitesell in the sixth inning. Campos picked up two RBI as Smith came around to score his second run of the game after reaching on a single to center field.

Cal Poly managed one run in the top of the ninth, but could not come any closer as LMU held on to the 5-4 win. Vincent Cordova earned the win for the Lions after coming on in relief of Lovato in the seventh. Cordova is now 1-1 on the year. Matt Powers picked up the loss for Cal Poly. He also came on in seventh inning relief for CP starter Bochy. Powers' record stands at 0-1.

The Lions return to action tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 19 when they host Cal State Fullerton at Page Stadium at 2 p.m.

-GO LIONS-