March 20, 2004

Box Score

San Diego, CA (March 20) - A four-run top of the 10th inning propelled the Loyola Marymount University baseball team to a 12-10 victory over San Diego in West Coast Conference action on Saturday afternoon. With the win the Lions improve to 4-1 in the WCC and 12-9 overall.

After San Diego (12-13, 1-4) scored in the bottom of the ninth, the Lions responded with a four-run 10th inning to knock of the Toreros for the fourth time in five meetings. The extra-inning win completed a solid comeback for the Lions as they came from behind to erase a 2-0 lead with a three-run fourth inning and 6-3 deficit with a four-run sixth inning.

The 10th inning began with an Anthony Soto walk to start the inning. Anthony Santana, who had a monster day going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, single to right field to move Soto to second. Senior Billy Lockin then loaded the bases on bunt single.

James Cooper then delivered in the clutch for the Lions hitting a double to left field to score Santana and Soto. After an intentional walk to Kyle Mura, AJ LaMonda hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Lockin. Senior Jonathan Higashi then delivered another sacrifice fly to center to score Cooper to take a 12-8 lead into the bottom of the tenth.

Gabe Bueno, who struckout a batter to end the ninth inning to send the game to extra innings, would hold USD to pick up the win and Kevin Jensen would strikeout Steve Singleton for the save. Bueno improves to 3-0 on the season.

Joining Santana with a solid outing offensively was Cooper, who was 4-for-6 with three RBI and a double. Lockin and Chris Pettit both went 2-for-4 as Pettit had three RBI and Lockin two. Clint McGill also had a multi-hit day, going 2-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored as the Lions finished with 17 hits.

The two teams will complete the three-game series in their final meeting of the season on Sunday in San Diego at 1 p.m.

- GO LIONS -