March 21, 2009

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Los Angeles, CA - Freshman Sam Fischer hit two of LMU's four home runs on the day, helping the Lions to a doubleheader sweep of visiting North Dakota on Saturday afternoon at Smith Field. The Lions (13-19) snapped a six-game losing streak with three home runs in a 4-1 game one victory, then posted a 7-0 shutout in game two to improve to 5-0 all-time against the Fighting Sioux (2-19).

The top home run-hitting team in the Pacific Coast Conference, LMU added to its total in game one with long-balls from Fischer, senior Megan Ackerman, and freshman Sam Fischer and Kelly Sarginson. All three finished game one 2-for-3 in support of junior Melissa Dykema (6-9), who allowed five hits in the complete game victory.

Fischer turned on the first pitch she saw from Hannah-Rose Peters, depositing it over the left-field fence in the first for a 1-0 Lion lead. UND struck back with a run in the top of the second after Dykema walked the first two batters. With two outs and runners on second and third, Angie Delgado blooped a single into right, scoring the tying run but LMU junior rightfielder J.J. Hartung gunned down Maggie O'Neal at the plate to end the inning and keep the game knotted at 1-1.

That run would prove pivotal as the LMU long balls continued in the third. After Fischer led off the inning with a double, Ackerman sat on a change-up for her fifth home run of the year and 24th of her career, giving the Lions a 3-1 advantage. Mere pitches later, Sarginson made it back-to-back round-trippers with a shot to left-center for the last of the scoring.

In game two, Fischer's first-inning triple led to LMU's opening run as she was brought home on senior Chelsie Tysdal's single. The Lions tacked on three more runs in the third thanks to wildness by Erica Younan. Three walks loaded the bases with one out for Tysdal, who drove in LMU's second run with a fielder's choice to shortstop. After another walk re-loaded the bases, Sarginson almost took off Younan's head with a chopper up the middle that plated two runs for a 4-0 Lion advantage.

The Lions kept things going with a three-run fourth. With two outs, singled then stole second, coming home on senior MiaSarah Cesena's single. Fischer continued her barrage, sending a two-run shot opposite field over the rightfield fence to make it 7-0.

LMU had a chance for the run-rule win in the sixth but sophomore Amy Charpentier was thrown out at the plate trying to score on Cesena's single. Even so, freshman Corie Goodman was able to close out her first career shutout, putting the first two runners on in the seventh before shutting the door with three straight pop-ups. Goodman improved to 7-9 on the year with the five-hitter in which she struck out three and walked one.

LMU's 1-through-5 hitters did most of the damage, combining for six hits in 12 at-bats. Hartung went 2-for-4 with a run scored, Tysdal and Sarginson were both 1-for-3 with two RBI, and Cesena was 1-for-3 with one RBI but the star of the day was Fischer. The freshman finished game two 2-for-2 with the triple and home run to go along with a walk, two RBI, and three runs scored to end the day a single shy of the cycle. Fisher was 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, two home runs, three RBI, and five runs scored.

Another bright spot for the Lions was their defense, turning in a pair of perfect no-error performances after committing at least three in each of the last five games.

LMU takes a 10-day break before closing out its non-conference schedule on March 31 at Cal State Bakersfield.

- GO LIONS -