April 11, 2003

Box Score

Malibu, Calif. - Loyola Marymount designated hitter Joshua Whitesell hit his team-leading 10th home run of the season in the top of the ninth inning. But it wasn't enough as the Lions fell 4-2 to Pepperdine, Friday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium. LMU dropped to 21-14, 8-5 in the West Coast Conference, while the Waves moved to 20-15, 10-3 in the league.

Whitesell's shot was just the third hit for LMU, as Wave starting pitcher Greg Ramirez threw his second consecutive complete-game victory. Ramirez moved to 4-2 on the season, allowing just two runs on four hits, while striking out three and walking one.

Trailing 1-0, after Pepperdine scored an unearned run in the second inning, LMU tied the game at one in the fifth. With one out and a runner on base, Ramirez lost his composure for the first time in the game. After walking Lion freshman James Cooper and recording another out, Ramirez hit both Carl Stoeber and Chris Pettit with pitches to plate Sean Smith. Ramirez avoided further damage, inducing a fly ball out to end the inning.

After LMU starting pitcher Vince Cordova retired Pepperdine in order on six pitches in the bottom of the frame, the Waves scored single runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to take a 3-1 advantage.

Cordova dropped to 4-3, lasting seven innings, striking out five and walking two. The junior allowed three runs, one earned, for the second consecutive start.

The Waves added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning, before Whitesell's blast in the ninth. Smith led the Lions going two-for-four, with a run scored, while Chris Kelly went three-for-four with a pair of doubles and two runs scored for Pepperdine.

The Lions will continue its series with Pepperdine tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. Sunday's finale will also begin at 1 p.m. at Eddy D. Field Stadium.