March 25, 2005

Box Score

Spokane, Wash. - Despite a strong outing from Lion starter Jeff Stevens, it was Gonzaga's Patrick Donovan who was the story of the game two after throwing the complete game shutout against LMU. The Lions (9-14, 3-2 WCC) could not push a run across in a 3-0 West Coast Conference loss to Gonzaga (15-9, 3-2 WCC) Friday in chilly Spokane.

LMU threatened in the top of the eighth, putting runners on second and third after Sean Dovel and Jason Lefkowitz started the inning with back-to-back singles. But the Lions couldn't push a run across, after totaling four hits and stranding six runners in a game that was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth.

Senior Joe Frazee came up with a huge defensive stop in the bottom of the second, when he tracked down a bases-loaded shot to deep right center off the bat of Darin Holcomb to help the Lions out of the jam.

Gonzaga was the first to score in the pitcher's dual, posting one in the bottom of the fourth when Scott Campbell's single to left scored Will Ayala from second. It looked like the Lions would have a play at the plate, with left fielder Chris Pettit sending a strong throw home, but Dovel couldn't come up with it and Ayala safely scored to take a one-run lead.

The Bulldogs added single unearned runs in the fifth and seventh innings to make it 3-0 Gonzaga.

Stevens worked 6.1 innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out six. The junior right-hander suffered the loss for the Lions and fell to 1-4.

Donovan (4-3) scattered four hits in his first career complete game shutout.

The Lions and the Bulldogs will wrap-up the three-game series Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. With both teams aligned in the WCC's Coast Division again this season, tomorrow's game three will be crucial to the early conference standings, as both teams are now 3-2 in WCC action. Fans can follow all of the action Saturday from Spokane on the Lions' Audio Network and Gametracker, both at www.LMULions.com.

-GO LIONS-