Feb. 7, 2003

Final Stats

BERKELEY, CA - The Loyola Marymount baseball team dropped its season-opener 5-4 Friday afternoon at Evans Diamond to California. Lion junior Joshua Whitesell and freshman Chris Pettit had three hits apiece for LMU.

The Bears improved 3-2 as Cal junior catcher Chris Grossman hit a home run off of Todd Lundwall with one out in the bottom of the ninth to win it.

Loyola Marymount had scored four runs off of the Bears' starter, preseason All-American Matt Brown in the first three innings (6.0 innings, seven hits, four runs, three walks, four strikeouts), but Cal slowly picked away at the Lions' lead.

Whitesell had an RBI single in the first inning and a solo home run in the third inning. It was Whitesell's 11th career homer for LMU. Billy Lockin and Carl Stoeber added a pair of hits to the Lions' cause. Joe Frazee and Stoeber also had a RBI.

The Lions had four solid innings from starting pitcher Joshua Muecke (4.0 innings, three hits, one run, three walks, four strikeouts).

The Bears will next host Loyola Marymount in the second-game of the three-game series, Saturday, Feb. 8 at 1 p.m. at Evans Diamond.

Home Runs:

Loyola Marymount: Whitesell, solo home run in the third inning.

Cal: Grossman, solo home run in the ninth inning.