April 12, 2008

Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - LMU (18-16, 4-4) used a season-high 24 hits to plate a season-high 15 runs en route to pounding Saint Mary's (18-13-1, 3-5) by a count of 15-9 on Saturday in game two of a three-game conference series being played at LMU's Page Stadium over the weekend. The two teams have combined for 47 runs on 70 hits over the first two games of the series.

Seniors Andy Preston and A.J. LaMonda, along with sophomore Angelo Songco led the Lions offensively on the day. Preston finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored, four RBI, a home run and two doubles. LaMonda batted 4-for-6 out of the leadoff spot, collecting three runs scored along the way. Songco turned in a perfect 4-for-4 day at the plate, with three runs scored, his team-leading seventh home run of the season, two RBI and a double. Sean Dovel and Ryan Wheeler each contributed three hits in the victory, with Dovel going 3-for-5 with a run scored and a RBI. Wheeler, who has been a tear as of late for LMU, batted 3-for-5 with three doubles, four RBI and two runs scored. The native of Torrance, Calif. has now collected multiple hits in 10 of his last 12, and 12 of his last 15 games. Songco and Wheeler have now hit safely in five and four straight games, respectively.

Senior Andy Beal got the start for LMU, tossing the first six and two-thirds innings and allowing six runs (five earned) on 10 hits and two walks while striking out a batter to improve to 4-3 on the season. Left-hander Russell Lowell pitched the final two and a third innings on the hill, surrendering three runs on four hits and striking out two batters.

Designated hitter Justin Fazio and right fielder Brian Hawkins paced the Gael offense, finishing with three hits and two RBI apiece. Kyle Jensen and Cory Miller also drove in two for Saint Mary's. Randy Wells, who finished 2-for-4 in the loss, belted his third home run of the year.

Right-hander Brandon Berl got the start for Saint Mary's, contributing two and two-thirds innings and allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks en route to being tagged with his third loss of the season. Alex Jensen gave up seven runs over the next two innings of work before Matt McCormick failed to record an out and surrendered a run as well. Dorsey Ek was the final reliever for Saint Mary's, tossing three and a third innings and allowing two runs on six hits to finish the game on the hill.

The Gaels got on the board in the top of the first with one swing of the bat. Second baseman Wells connected on a 1-0 pitch with two outs in the inning, sending it over the wall in centerfield for his third home run of the year.

The Lions answered right back in the bottom of the frame, posting two runs on three hits to take the lead and run the score to 2-1. LaMonda singled to start the inning before a groundout moved him to second. Back-to-back doubles by Preston and Songco knocked-in the two runs for the Lions on the ensuing plays.

Refusing to surrender momentum, Saint Mary's pushed three more runs across in the top of the second to take a 4-2 advantage into the bottom of the inning. Anthony Aliotti doubled to get the ball rolling before Fazio followed suit with a RBI-double of his own down the right field line. Fazio was retired on the ensuing play, as Beal came off the mound on a bunt attempt and quickly fired to third base where Michael Glomb applied the tag. Daniel Alcaire singled to get the rally started once again, leaving runners at second and third after an errant throw from Ollie Enos in right field on the play. Hawkins took advantage of the opportunity to hit with runners in scoring position, singling to shortstop to drive in the second run of the frame. Miller quickly capped the scoring run with a sacrifice fly to left field to bring home Alcaire.

LMU broke through for three runs in the bottom of the third, recording four hits in the frame. Singles by LaMonda and Glomb started the inning before Songco walked one batter later to load the bases. Dovel came up with the clutch base hit, singling home the first run on the ensuing play. Wheeler stayed hot just a few pitches later, sending a shot off Mikos Blue Monster in left field for a double to bring home Songco and Glomb to cap the frame.

The Lions extended the lead to 10-4 with five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. For the second consecutive inning, back-to-back singles by LaMonda and Glomb got things rolling. Preston cleared the bases on the ensuing play, doubling into the left centerfield gap. A Songco bunt single down the third base line put runners at the corners before a balk brought home the next run and left a runner at second. After a groundout moved the runner to third, Wheeler collected his second double of the day to drive in Songco. Enos put runners at first and second with a single to shortstop before Kyle Spraker hit a ground ball that left runners at the corners with two out. Jonathan Johnson capped the frame on the very next play, recording a push bunt single to drive in Wheeler.

Saint Mary's answered for a run in the top of the fifth to cut the advantage to 10-5. Hawkins led things off with a single before Miller doubled down the left field line to drive in the run from first.

LMU broke the game open even further in the fifth, plating three runs on four hits. After two quick outs to start the frame, Songco connected on his seventh home run of the season, sending a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right field. Dovel kept the inning alive with a two-out single before Wheeler belted his third RBI-double into the left centerfield gap to score Dovel from first base. Enos contributed the final blow in the frame, singling home Wheeler on the very next play to put the Lions on top by a count of 13-5.

Saint Mary's posted a run in the top of the sixth inning, as Anthony Aliotti reached with a one-out walk. Scott Schneider singled following the second out in the frame before an Daniel Alcaire single loaded the bases for Hawkins. The right fielder was hit by the first pitch in the at bat, forcing in the run.

LMU plated its final runs of the game in the sixth, scoring twice to run the tally to 15-6. Johnson singled to lead off before a LaMonda single put runners at the corners. Glomb grounded into a double play on the ensuing play, resulting in the first run of the inning. Preston wasted no time scoring the final Lion run of the game, hitting a towering shot to right centerfield for his fourth round-tripper of the season.

Saint Mary's put up a fight in the ninth inning, scoring three times to run the score to its final of 15-9. Hawkins doubled before back-to-back hit-by-pitches loaded the bases. Jensen, who homered twice on Friday, followed with a two-RBI single into centerfield to leave runners at first and second. After a second strikeout in the inning, Fazio doubled to right field to bring home Ryan Mulligan and cap the scoring on the day.

The Lions and Gaels will conclude the three-game West Coast Conference series tomorrow at 1 p.m. LMU will send junior Ernie Cho to the hill in the rubber-match to oppose right-hander Scott Schneider for Saint Mary's.