May 14, 2005
Box Score | Video Highlights
San Diego, Calif. - A four-run sixth inning made LMU baseball the winners of seven straight games, giving
the Lions the 9-1 win over the University of San Diego Saturday at Cunningham Stadium. With the win, LMU (25-24, 14-11 WCC) claimed the series sweep over the Toreros and knocked San Diego (29-26, 15-14 WCC)
out of the running for the West Coast Conference Coast Division title.
Winners of seven straight and nine of their last 10, the Lions improved their record against San Diego
to 10-1 since 2004. Knocking San Diego out of the running for the Coast Division title,
the Lions are now in a battle with Gonzaga for the chance to represent the division in the
WCC Baseball Championship. After completing the three-game series with USD tomorrow, the
Lions will host Gonzaga for four games at Page Stadium next weekend.
The Lions scored four runs in the top of the sixth to take a 7-0 lead. Evan Shahak's
sacrifice fly brought in freshman Eric Farris, who had a perfect slide at the plate to
put the Lions up 4-0. San Diego right fielder Shane Buschini lost Kyle Mura's shot in the
sun, giving Mura a two-run triple that brought in Pettit and Oller. Dovel's grounder to
third then plated Mura for the seven-run advantage.
San Diego pushed one across in the bottom of the seventh when Keoni Ruth's double
scored Kevin Hansen.
But the Lions added two in the top of the eighth on a home run over the fence in left by Dovel.
It was the first career home run for the freshman, who brought pinch-hitter Matt White in with him
to make it 9-1.
The Lions mimicked San Diego's effort yesterday and took an early 2-0 lead
in the top of the second. Freshman Michael Glomb's groundout scored Jon Oller,
who was hit by a pitch by USD starter Justin Blaine. Joe Frazee then singed to
right to drive in Kyle Mura, who had singled to left earlier in the inning.
The Lions added a third run in the fifth when Sean Dovel's single scored Oller.
LMU starter Stephen Kahn (4-5) allowed just one run on four hits in his seven inning outing. Kahn retired the side in the first
and the fifth, before giving way to Daniel Macias and Ezequiel Ruvalcaba for the eighth and ninth. The only Torero to reach third
base against the three was the lone run scored.
Blaine fell to 8-5 for the Toreros after giving up the five runs on ten hits in 5.2 innings.
Pettit extended his team season-high hitting streak to 12 games, but it was the bottom of the Lions' lineup that did the damage Saturday. The six through eight spots of Oller, Mura, and Dovel combined to go 6-for-11 with five RBI. Dovel went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Oller finished
2-for-3, scoring three of the Lions' seven runs.
Saturday's game was televised on CSTV and was one of 16 college baseball games to air this season on the station's broadcast schedule.
The Lions will play a non-conference game at UCLA on Tuesday evening before taking on Gonzaga for the Coast Division title next weekend.
-GO LIONS-
