March 8, 2009

Box Score

SANTA BARBRA, Calif. - LMU (8-6) was swept in a four-game series by UC Santa Barbara (9-2) after dropping the final game of the series by a count of 10-3 on Sunday at UCSB's Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. The Lions trailed from the first inning on in the game.

Junior Ryan Wheeler collected two of LMU's seven hits on the day, finishing 2-for-4. Junior Angelo Songco had the biggest hit for the Lions, belting a solo home run, his third of the season, over the wall in left centerfield to begin the fifth inning. Sophomore Jonathan Johnson and freshman Shon Roe drove in the other two Lion runs, collecting sacrifice flies in the seventh inning.

Freshman John Lally made the first start of his collegiate career on Sunday, tossing two and two-thirds innings and allowing seven runs (six earned) on six hits and five walks and punching-out four batters before taking the loss. Fellow freshman, Ramiro Carreon, pitched the next four innings and surrendered two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out two Gaucho hitters. Chris Eusebio contributed a third of an inning before Jeremy Burrell finished the game on the hill for the Lions, allowing one unearned run on two hits.

Matt Valaika led the Gaucho offense with a 3-for-5 day, including a double, a run scored and three RBI. Gunnar Terhune also collected three RBI, batting 2-for-4 with a double. Brian Gump and Eric Oliver both finished 2-for-3, with Gump scoring three runs and posting a double and two walks.

Junior Mike Ford pitched the first six innings for the Gauchos, allowing three runs on six hits and four walks, striking out two batters along the way en route to improving his record to 3-0. Right-hander Patrick McIntyre dealt an inning and two-thirds in relief, allowing a hit and a walk before turning the ball over to Clayton Edwards. Edwards struck out two hitters over an inning and a third, retiring the Lions in order.

The Gauchos scored one run in the bottom of the first on a Valaika double before exploding for six runs in the third inning to open-up a 7-0 lead. Shane Carlson singled-home a run in the inning before Valaika collected his second RBI with a single of his own. Robby Cummings plated two more runs with a single into centerfield, preceding a sacrifice fly from Marty Mullins. Terhune capped the scoring run on the ensuing play, lining a RBI-single into left field to plate Cummings.

After Songco's leadoff home run in the fifth, LMU scored two more runs in the seventh inning, cutting the deficit to 7-3. A Trevor Gee single and back-to-back walks loaded the bases before Roe lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Brad Bauer, who also moved to third on the play, scored one batter later when Johnson hit a fly ball deep enough to right field to bring home the run.

Unfortunately for the Lions, that would be all the runs they could muster, as UCSB went on to score two runs in the bottom of the seventh and one more insurance run in the eighth en route to the victory. Terhune contributed the two-RBI double in the seventh before Valaika plated the final run in the eighth with a single to centerfield.

The Lions return to action on Tuesday when they host UC Riverside at 3:00 p.m.