July 28, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -
BRIEFLY
In a season that saw ups and downs, LMU finished the year strong with a victory over Gonzaga on May 18, but dropped eight of its last nine games in the 2008 campaign. The Lions finished the year with a 23-32 record overall and a 7-14 mark in the West Coast Conference.
ALL-WCC
Sophomores Angelo Songco and Ryan Wheeler were named to the All-WCC team, while senior A.J. LaMonda claimed honorable mention recognition, it was announced by the conference office on May 21. For Songco the selection was his second in as many years, while Wheeler and LaMonda were honored for the first time.
KENNEY DRAFTED BY HALOS
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim selected junior right-hander Mike Kenney with the 859th pick in the 28th round during the second day of the 2008 First Year Player Draft. Overall, the Lions have seen 23 players drafted in June since the 2000 season, with many others going on to sign professional contracts. A native of Carlsbad, Calif., Kenney finished the 2008 campaign with a 5-3 record and a 6.25 ERA over 59.0 innings of work in 15 appearances and 10 starts. He amassed 29 strikeouts and recorded one save over the span. His five wins were tops on the Lion pitching staff, and his .625 winning percentage also placed him first on the team.
GLOMB AND WHEELER ARE "CLASS ACTS"
Nine LMU spring sport student-athletes were awarded Academic All-West Coast Conference status, the conference office announced on June 25. The baseball team posted two first-time selections on the squad as senior Michael Glomb and sophomore Ryan Wheeler were lauded. One of two LMU student-athletes working on their graduate degrees to be honored, Glomb batted .321 with seven doubles, two home runs, 24 RBI, a .389 slugging percentage and a fielding percentage of .986. In addition, he strung together the longest hitting streak of the season, batting in 21 consecutive games from April 6 to May 12. Working toward his master's degree in education, Glomb amassed a 3.83 grade-point-average. Wheeler, the WCC Player of the Week for the week ending March 31, is majoring in business administration and carries a 3.45 grade-point-average.
SALUTING THE SENIORS
Sunday's season-finale against Gonzaga marked the final appearance in Lion uniforms for eight LMU players. Listing them alphabetically, Loyola Marymount bid adieu to Andy Beal, Justin Bunkis, Steve Connolly, Sean Dovel, Michael Glomb, Nate Keadle, A.J. LaMonda and Andy Preston.
LMU ACCORDING TO BOYD'S WORLD
According to Boyd's World, the Lions finished the season ranked second in Strength of Schedule (SOS), which takes into account the results and success of LMU's opponents in a season, 49th in Iterative Strength Rating (ISR), which is essentially how tough a schedule looks on a certain day based on past results of the opponents and how LMU has fared to that point, and 81st in Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), the official NCAA measure of team quality used by the tournament selection committee.
GLOMB GOES STREAKING
Senior Michael Glomb collected a career-long and an LMU season-high 21-game hitting streak, going hitless against No. 9 UC Irvine on May 14. The streak was the longest by a Lion since Eric Farris hit in 25 straight games from the end of the 2006 season into the beginning of 2007. Glomb, a native of San Jose, Calif., batted .372 (32-for-86) with nine multiple-hit games, 15 runs scored, 12 RBI, two doubles, two home runs and six walks over the span. The streak was 10 games better than his previous high for this season (11, March 15-30), and nine longer than his previous career-high set in 2007 (12).
THE "WHEELS" WERE TURNING
Sophomore Ryan Wheeler was on a tear nearly all of the 2008 campaign. Wheeler batted .345 (70-for-203) in 2008, starting every game for the Lions on the season. The team-leader in batting average for much of the campaign, he finished with 36 runs scored, a team-best 20 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 45 RBI and 110 total bases. He slugged .542 and reached base at a .405 pace. In conference games alone, the native of Torrance, Calif. batted .372 (29-for-78) with 15 runs scored, 11 doubles, three home runs and 24 RBI. He slugged .628 and reached base at a .440 clip. The first baseman collected a team-high tying 21 multiple hit games and finished second with 10 multiple-RBI games. He finished the year ranked first in doubles (20), triples (1) and sacrifice flies (5), second in batting average (.345), slugging percentage (.542), runs scored (36), hits (70), RBI (45), home runs (6), total bases (110) and stolen bases (5), third in on base percentage (.405), and fourth in walks (17) and hit-by-pitches (7). In conference games alone, Wheeler ranked first in RBI (24), doubles (11) and stolen bases (3), second in batting average (.372), slugging percentage (.628), hits (29), total bases (49) and on base percentage (.440), third in runs scored (15) and walks (8), and was fourth in home runs (1).
LMU IN THE WCC
LMU finished the season in seventh place, toting a 7-14 record. The Lions ranked seventh overall in batting average (.291) amongst the eight teams. In other offensive categories, LMU was fifth in doubles (120), sixth in home runs (35), strikeouts (368) and stolen bases (39), seventh in on base percentage (.367), slugging percentage (.413), runs (321), hits (564) and RBI (275), and eighth in triples (5) and walks (172). The LMU pitching staff ranked seventh overall in ERA, toting a 6.01 mark. In other categories, the Lions ranked fifth in walks (210) and strikeouts (330), and eighth in batting average against (.316), hits allowed (600), runs allowed (371), earned runs allowed (317) and saves (5). In conference games alone this year, LMU placed first in doubles (51), third in stolen bases (19), fifth in triples (3) and strikeouts (138), sixth in on base percentage (.359), runs scored (123), hits (212), home runs (13) and RBI (109), and seventh in batting average (.285), slugging percentage (.415) and walks (63). On the pitching side, LMU placed sixth in strikeouts (110), hits allowed (255) and runs allowed (157), seventh in ERA (6.55), earned runs allowed (134), walks (85) and saves (1), and eighth in batting average against (.338).
LIONS IN THE WCC
Individually in the WCC, Angelo Songco ranked ninth in batting average (.356). Songco placed second in home runs (15), third in slugging percentage (.681), fourth in total bases (130) and doubles (17), ninth in on base percentage (.432), and 10th in RBI (48). Ryan Wheeler was first in doubles, 10th in slugging percentage (.542) and 14th in batting average (.345). On the pitching side, Xavier Esquivel was sixth in saves (3), while Chris Eusebio (24) and Ernie Cho (24) ranked ninth in appearances. In conference games alone, Songco was second in slugging percentage (.779) and doubles (9), third in home runs (6), fourth in total bases (60) and on base percentage (.511), and fifth in hits (33). Wheeler was first in doubles (11), third in RBI (24), eighth in slugging percentage (.628) and ninth in total bases (49).
A LEADER IN LaMONDA
Senior A.J. LaMonda, who started all 55 games for the Lions in 2008, batted .329 (72-for-219) with a team-best 43 runs scored, 15 doubles, a triple, two home runs and 29 RBI. In conference games alone, the Orange County, Calif. native hit .304 (24-for-79) with 20 runs scored, six doubles, a home run and eight RBI. He slugged .418 and recorded an on base percentage of .409. LaMonda recorded a team-high tying 21 multiple-hit games this season, including the only five-hit game for the Lions this year, and three of LMU's nine four-hit games. LaMonda collected the career-high five hits against USD on March 9, finishing 5-for-6 with two runs scored, a triple and four RBI. Hitting out of the leadoff spot on the day, he became the first Lion to collect five hits in a game since Billy Lockin did so on March 24, 2002 versus San Francisco. LaMonda ranked first on the team in runs scored (43), hits (72), walks (22) and triples (1), second in on base percentage (.409) and stolen bases (5), third in batting average (.329), RBI (29), doubles (15), total bases (95) and hit by pitches (9), and fourth in slugging percentage (.434). In conference games alone, LaMonda placed first in runs scored (20) and hit-by-pitches (5), second in walks (9), third in slugging percentage (.418), on base percentage (.409) and doubles (6), and fourth in batting average (.304), hits (24), home runs (1) and total bases (33).
SWEET-SWINGING SONGCO
Angelo Songco, who along with Ryan Wheeler was a unanimous selection to the All-Conference squad, finished the season batting.356 (68-for-191) with 36 runs scored, 17 doubles, 15 home runs, 48 RBI, 130 total bases and a .681 slugging percentage. In conference games alone, the native of Granada Hills, Calif. hit .429 (33-for-77) with 17 runs scored, nine doubles, six home runs, 23 RBI, 60 total bases and a slugging percentage of .779. He reached base at a .511 clip. Songco ranked first on the team in batting average (.356), slugging percentage (.681), on base percentage (.432), RBI (48), home runs (15), walks (22) and total bases (130), second in doubles (17) and runs scored (36), and third in hits (68). In conference games alone, Songco ranked first in bating average (.429), slugging percentage (.779), on base percentage (.511), hits (33), home runs (6), total bases (60) and walks (11), and second in runs scored (17), RBI (23) and doubles (9).
STELLAR SITUATIONAL STATISTICS
LMU posted a few impressive statistics in various situations this year. With two out in an inning, the Lions batted .301 (195-for-648). LMU also batted .312 (294-for-942) with runners on base, .431 (28-for-65) with the bases loaded (including two grand slams), and put the leadoff hitter in an inning on base at a .332 clip (161-for-485). The Lions posted a mark of .588 (87-for-148) in at bats with a runner on third and less than two outs in a frame.
SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST
LMU outscored opponents 41-19 in ninth innings or later this season. Included in that total is a 35-19 advantage in the ninth and 6-0 mark in extra innings. The Lions also held an advantage over their opponents in the fifth (41-35) and seventh (54-40) innings.
THE GRADUATES
Congratulations to the Lions who graduated May 10th:
Andy Beal, sociology
Justin Bunkis, film and television
Steve Connolly, English
Sean Dovel, business
Nate Keadle, business
AND THE "IGGY" GOES TO...
The Third Annual Iggy Awards were handed out on Monday, April 21. LMU baseball took home one of the awards handed out on the night, with junior Ollie Enos nabbing the "Strength and Conditioning" award. Volleyball's Heather Hughes took home Female Athlete of the Year, while freshman Tibor Forai claimed Male Athlete of the Year recognition for men's water polo.
STELLAR WEEK AGAINST SAINT MARY'S
Sophomore Ryan Wheeler batted .563 (9-for-16) over the week of April 7, helping the Lions to a win over No. 16 Long Beach State on Tuesday of that week and West Coast Conference-foe Saint Mary's on that Saturday. In addition to the .563 clip, Wheeler amassed four runs scored, seven doubles, two walks, seven RBI and 16 total bases to the tune of a 1.000 slugging percentage and a.611 on base percentage. Wheeler finished the three-game series against Saint Mary's batting .583 (7-for-12) with four runs scored, six doubles, two walks, 13 total bases and seven RBI. He reached base at a .643 clip and recorded a slugging percentage of 1.083. Fellow sophomore Angelo Songco batted .444 (8-for-18) over the same four-game span. In addition to the .444 clip, Songco amassed six runs scored, two home runs, two doubles, two walks, eight RBI and 16 total bases to the tune of a .889 slugging percentage and a .500 on base percentage. Songco finished the three-game series against Saint Mary's batting .538 (7-for-13) with five runs scored, two doubles, a home run, 12 total bases and two walks. He reached base at a .600 clip and slugged .923. He finished 1-for-5 with a grand slam (his first of his career) and four RBI on Tuesday against LBSU.
WHEELER NAMED WCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore Ryan Wheeler was named WCC Player of the Week for the week ending March 31. The selection was the first of the season for LMU, and the first of Wheeler's career. Wheeler batted .545 (12-for-22) over the five games played, serving a crucial role in the Lions' 5-0 week. In addition to the .545 clip, Wheeler amassed seven runs scored, three doubles, a triple, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, six RBI, a stolen base and 17 total bases to the tune of a .773 slugging percentage and a .560 on base percentage. Wheeler hit safely in all five games over the span, collecting multiple hits in all but one.
THE AZTEC KINGS
Seniors A.J. LaMonda, Andy Beal and Andy Preston were named to the 2008 Aztec Invitational All-Tournament Team, it was announced March 10 at the conclusion of the five-day event. LaMonda was also named Tournament MVP as he helped lead the Lions to a 3-1 record and the Aztec Invitational Tournament Championship. LaMonda and Santa Clara's Ryan Conan shared the honor at first base. The Orange County, Calif. native batted .474 (9-for-19) with three runs scored, a triple, a walk, a stolen base and nine RBI over the four-game span. Preston batted .389 (7-for-18) with a double, four runs scored, a grand slam and seven RBI. Beal pitched six innings, allowing one run on three hits and three walks while striking out eight batters.
JACK TAKES THE HILL
Loyola Marymount baseball honored one of its newest and most loyal fans when Jack Steinberg tossed out the ceremonial first pitch to kick-off the 2008 season at Page Stadium on February 29. Jack was issued a Lion jersey earlier in the week, and was ready and excited to throw out the pitch on Friday. In a recent writing to the Westchester/Playa Del Rey Hometown News entitled "Follow the Crack of the Bat", Jack's mother, Ivey, detailed Jack's story and how he became associated with LMU baseball. To read the heartfelt column, please visit the following link on the baseball page at lmulions.com: www.lmulions.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/021408aag.html
LMU ON OPENING DAY
Since 2001, LMU has been victorious in five of its eight games on Opening Day, falling this season to Sac State, 11-7. The Lions defeated Cal State Northridge 7-3 in 2001's opener at Page Stadium before defeating UC Santa Barbara on the road to start the 2002 campaign. LMU failed to make it three-straight in 2003, dropping a one-run decision to Cal to open the year. LMU was back to its winning ways in 2004, knocking-off UC Riverside, 5-4, and getting revenge against Cal with a one-run victory in 2005. Starting the 2006 season on the road in Arizona, LMU dropped the first game of the year, 10-5, before rebounding last season with a 9-5 victory over Sac State.
WALLACE WATCHES SONGCO
Outfielder Angelo Songco was named to the 2008 Brooks Wallace Award Preseason Watch List, it was announced in early January. Songco, the reigning WCC Freshman of the Year, 2008 preseason All-Conference selection and 2007 Freshman All-American, earned a spot the prestigious list that will eventually determine the Player of the Year. The left-hand hitting outfielder led LMU in doubles (22), RBI (33), slugging percentage (.528), sacrifice flies (7) and outfield assists (8) last season. In addition, he tied for the lead in triples (3) and was second in batting average (.321), runs scored (36), home runs (4), total bases (102) and walks (30). In WCC play alone, he led the team in batting average (.392), hits (29), doubles (10), slugging percentage (.635) and on-base percentage (.464). The Wallace Award is presented to the nation's top collegiate baseball player in conjunction with the College Baseball Hall of Fame's annual induction festivities. The 2008 award banquet will be held Thursday, July 3, in the United Spirit Arena on the campus of Texas Tech.
WCC PRESEASON POLL
LMU was picked to finish fourth in the WCC 2008 preseason baseball poll, as selected by conference coaches. University of San Diego was chosen to repeat as West Coast Conference champion after receiving the maximum number of points, garnering all seven possible first-place votes and 49 overall points to take first place in the listing. Pepperdine was picked second with 42 overall points, while Santa Clara received the remaining first place vote and checked in at No. 3 in the poll with 32 points. LMU edged out Gonzaga for the fourth place spot, as the Lions received 29 points and the Zags garnered 28 points to grab the No. 5 spot. San Francisco was tabbed for a sixth place finish with 24 points, while Portland and Saint Mary's were picked to finish seventh and eighth with 12 points and eight points, respectively.
