April 9, 2009
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -
Complete Release in PDF Format 
THE SCHEDULE
Games 35-37
LMU Lions (20-14, 5-1) vs. San Francisco Dons (15-18, 3-3)
Thursday, April 9, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. at LMU’s Page Stadium
Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at LMU’s Page Stadium
Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at LMU’s Page Stadium
BRIEFLY…
Having won 12 of its last 14 games, including earning series victories in the first two WCC weekend series and a victory over No. 6 Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday, LMU (20-14, 5-1) will host San Francisco (15-8, 3-3) in a three-game West Coast Conference series over the holiday weekend. The Lions, who have reached 20 wins in the shortest number of games since LMU was 20-12 to start the 2003 campaign, and Dons will meet on Thursday at 3 p.m. before taking Good Friday off from competition. The two teams will conclude the series with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
FOLLOWWW THE LIONS...
It’s easy to follow the Lions throughout the 2009 season! Just log on to LMULions.com for all the latest Lion baseball coverage. Tyler Geivett and a host of student radio broadcasters will bring fans the play-by-play for all LMU baseball games live online courtesy of the Lions Audio Network. Fans can also follow the action online via Gametracker. Just visit the Lion baseball page at www.LMULions.com, click on schedule, and click on the link located on the right side of the schedule for that particular game.
GAMEDAY AT PAGE STADIUM…
Fans, come cheer on the Lions this year at Page Stadium. When traveling to the venue, please remember that the Loyola Marymount University campus is located in Westchester, Calif. at One LMU Drive, approximately four miles north of the Los Angeles International Airport. Fans traveling to LMU must use the main entrance off of Lincoln Blvd. on LMU Drive. Those seeking handicap parking must also use the main entrance, where they can get directions from the guard at the front gate.
TEAM LMU THIS WEEK…
Thursday’s baseball game against San Francisco is this week’s “Team LMU” event. “Team LMU” was created to generate awareness and excitement for LMU sporting events on game days. Staff and students are encouraged to wear LMU gear on designated “Team LMU” days and to attend the games.
BAUER NAMED WCC PLAYER OF WEEK…
Junior Brad Bauer was named WCC Player of the Week, it was announced by the conference office on Monday. Bauer batted .600 (9-for-15) with four runs scored, four doubles, a triple, five RBI, four walks and 15 total bases to lead LMU to a 3-2 week, including a series victory over Portland in WCC play over the weekend. The Player of the Week selection is the first of his career for Bauer, and the second of the year for the Lions, as Angelo Songco was lauded on March 23. Over the five games, Bauer slugged 1.000 and reached base at a .684 clip, recording multiple hits in three of his five games played, including three of his four starts. He also collected at least one extra-base hit in three of his four starts. Bauer started the week with a 3-for-4 day against then-No. 8 UC Irvine, collecting two runs scored, two doubles, a triple and two RBI. He then batted 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI against UCLA. Bauer collected three more hits to open the series against Portland, finishing 3-for-4 with a run scored, a RBI and a walk. In Bauer's last start, as the designated hitter on Saturday, he went 1-for-2 with a double, two walks, a run scored and a RBI.
REAL BASEBALL INTELLIGENCE…
Junior Angelo Songco is the fourth-best Major League Baseball draft prospect according to Real Baseball Intelligence and www.withthefirstpick.net. Songco is one of three Lions on the 200-player list, as fellow juniors Ryan Wheeler and Xavier Esquivel also appear. Wheeler checks-in at number 144, while Esquivel sits at number 195. Missouri’s Kyle Gibson is first on the list, followed by North Carolina’s Dustin Ackley and San Diego State’s Stephen Strasburg at number three.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS OUT…
Senior Lee Roberts pitched his second career complete game, this one a complete-game shutout, as LMU defeated Santa Clara, 2-0, to open WCC play on March 27 in Santa Clara, Calif. The complete-game shutout was the first for LMU since Daniel Macias shutout Gonzaga over nine innings on April 30, 2006. The effort marked the first complete game of the season and the first shutout of the year for LMU. Roberts’ first career complete game came last year when he beat Cal State Northridge on March 18, 2008. Roberts, a native of Hermosa Beach, Calif., scattered six hits and walked none while striking out seven batters. He faced 33 batters and threw 110 pitches over the nine innings, improving to 2-0 with the victory. Working as LMU’s Friday starter for nearly the whole season, Roberts has amassed a 2.94 ERA and a 3-0 record in 49 innings of work. The right-hander has allowed just 18 runs (16 earned) and 16 walks while striking out 46 hitters. He has lasted at least six innings in five of his six starts, striking out five or more batters in each of his starts this season. Roberts is fifth in the WCC in innings pitched, sixth in ERA and seventh in strikeouts. His strikeout total also places him 63rd in the NCAA.
A TRIPLE THREAT…
Sophomore Jonathan Johnson has seemingly mastered what many baseball enthusiasts consider one of the toughest things to do in the game...collect a triple. Johnson has picked-up five three-baggers on the year after failing to record one all of last season. Johnson is batting .286 with the five triples, five doubles, 29 runs scored, 21 walks, five stolen bases and 12 RBI. The five triples this season already place him tied for ninth in the Single Season All-Time LMU Record Book. He needs four more to match Dan Henry’s record of nine in 1975. If he could reach that plateau, he would also enter the Top-10 in career triples. So far, Johnson has collected triples against Utah (February 20), Fresno State (March 20), Santa Clara (March 29), Portland (April 3) and Cal State Fullerton (April 7). Four of his five triples have come in the last 14 games, including three in the last seven contests.
LION TRACKS…
LMU defeated No. 6 Cal State Fullerton by a count of 8-3 on Tuesday at Fullerton's Goodwin Field. The Lions, who are now 6-1 in games played against ranked opponents this season, scored five runs in the first inning and received a career-best pitching performance from freshman Ramiro Carreon in the victory. LMU, which saw a hit from every spot in the order except the number-nine spot on Tuesday, has now won 12 of its last 14 games. Carreon was outstanding in his sixth start of the year, tossing seven and a third innings, allowing just two runs (one earned) on eight hits, a walk and a pair of sacrifice flies while striking out three batters to earn his third victory of the season. The seven and a third innings of work were the longest of Carreon's career, besting his five and two-thirds effort against then-No. 24 Fresno State in game two of a doubleheader on March 21. Sophomore Chris Eusebio, LMU's leading reliever, was the only relief used on Tuesday, tossing an inning and two-thirds and allowing one run on two hits and striking out one batter. Junior Ryan Wheeler and freshman Shon Roe paced the Lion offense, collecting three hits apiece in the victory. Wheeler went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and a RBI. Roe was 3-for-5 with a run scored, while Jonathan Johnson drove-in two runs with a 2-for-3 day and a triple. Junior Angelo Songco had the most productive day in terms of RBI, finishing 2-for-4 with a home run, a sacrifice fly, two runs scored and five RBI. The home run, his 10th this season, was Songco's 29th of his career, tying him for eighth in the All-Time LMU Record Books with Kris Zacuto (1999-2002).
Prior to the victory over No. 6 Cal State Fullerton, LMU defeated Portland by a count of 11-6 in West Coast Conference play on Friday to open the three-game series with the Pilots. The Lions were led offensively by seniors Kyle Spraker and T. J. Bernardy, and junior Brad Bauer who each contributed three hits. Spraker was 3-for-5 with two doubles, three runs scored and a RBI. Bauer finished 3-for-4 with a run scored, a walk and a RBI. Bernardy was 3-for-4 with a triple, a run scored, a walk and three RBI. Bauer, who made his 13th start today, is batting a team-best .412 (21-for-51) with four doubles, a triple, a home run, 11 walks and 15 RBI this season. Freshman Shon Roe, who has also been on a tear lately, went 2-for-5 with a double, his second career home run, a run scored and three RBI. Senior Lee Roberts turned in yet another outstanding pitching performance, tossing seven innings and allowing six runs (four earned) on nine hits and four walks while striking out seven over seven innings of work. Junior Jeremy Burrell was the only Lion reliever needed in the victory, pitching two scoreless frames and striking out two Pilot hitters.
LMU scored multiple runs in the first, fourth, sixth and eighth innings en route to punishing Portland by a count of 17-5 in the second game of the series. The 5-0 start in WCC play for LMU was the best since the 1988 team started 15-0 and then finished the WCC schedule at 18-6. The Lions collected 19 hits, led by freshman Ryan Hawthorne with five. Hawthorne finished the game 5-for-6 out of the leadoff spot, picking-up a double, three runs scored and a RBI. The five hits were the most for a Lion since A.J. LaMonda collected five on March 9, 2008 versus San Diego. Kyle Spraker and Ryan Wheeler each contributed three hits in the win, with Wheeler batting 3-for-4 with two doubles, a triple, three runs scored and four RBI. Spraker went 3-for-6 with two doubles, three runs scored and a RBI. Junior Angelo Songco was 2-for-4 with a grand slam, two runs scored and four RBI. The grand slam was the first for LMU since Songco himself hit one on April 8, 2008 versus Long Beach State. Senior Ernie Cho dealt six and a third innings, allowing four runs on six hits and four walks en route to earning the victory, improving his record to 2-2. Jason Wheeler and Jordan McClintick were used as relievers in the game, with Wheeler tossing an inning and two-thirds and allowing one run. McClintick pitched a scoreless ninth inning and sealed the victory.
LMU lost an 11-inning contest to Portland by a count of 7-3 on Sunday. The loss snapped a streak of six consecutive victories over Portland. LMU fell to 1-3 in extra-inning games, having dropped each of the last three contests. Junior Ryan Wheeler paced the Lion offense with a 2-for-5 day at the plate with one run scored. Fellow junior, Angelo Songco, went 1-for-4 with a home run, a run scored and a RBI. Freshman Alex Gillingham got the start and lasted seven innings, surrendering two runs on nine hits and striking out four batters while not factoring in the decision. Sophomore Chris Eusebio dealt two and a third innings, allowing a run on two hits before Xavier Esquivel gave up four runs in an inning and two-thirds of work. Although credited with the loss, Esquivel struck out four batters over the span.
SWEET-SWINGING SONGCO…
Junior Angelo Songco is off to another outstanding year in 2009. The native of Granada Hills, Calif. is the team-leader in nine offensive categories. His .711 slugging percentage, .516 on base percentage, 39 RBI, 45 runs scored, 10 home runs, nine hit-by-pitches, 28 walks, 86 total bases and five stolen bases all place him tops on the team, while his .372 batting average and 45 hits rank second overall. His runs and walks totals, along with his on base percentage, place him first in the West Coast Conference. He is also eighth in the NCAA in walks and 13th in runs scored. For the rest of Songco’s and LMU’s rankings in the WCC and NCAA, please see the chart on page six of this weekly release. Songco hit his third home run in as many games on Tuesday against No. 6 Cal State Fullerton, marking the first time he had accomplished the feat in his career. He is the first Lion to homer in three consecutive games since Ryan Wheeler hit a home run in each of the three games against Holy Cross this year. The left-handed hitter homered twice in the loss to UC Riverside on March 10, including a solo-shot to left centerfield to knot the game at eight in the bottom of the ninth. With the two home runs, Songco became the first player to hit two in a game since he himself hit two against Gonzaga in the final game of the 2008 campaign. Songco began the season with a 16-game hitting streak, which started on May 2, 2008 and continued into the beginning of the 2009 campaign. Over the 16 games, he batted 28-for-62 (.452) with 21 runs scored, 27 RBI, eight doubles and nine home runs. Second on the team in multiple hit games with 13, he amassed four hits against UC Irvine on March 3, finishing 4-for-5 with a two-RBI double, three runs scored and three RBI. With 10 home runs this season, he has now amassed 29 in his career, tying him for eighth in the All-Time LMU Record Books with Kris Zacuto (1999-2002). He also needs just two more doubles to enter the Top-10 in that category.
HOT-HITTING HAWTHORNE…
Freshman Ryan Hawthorne has emerged as one of the leaders of a very talented freshman class for first-year Head Coach Jason Gill this season. The native of Granada Hills, Calif. is batting .328 (45-for-137) with nine doubles, 11 walks, 27 runs scored and 21 RBI. Earning starts all year in left field, and now serving as the Lion leadoff hitter virtually every game, Hawthorne is reaching base at a .377 clip. Hawthorne had the best game of his young career on April 4 versus Portland, finishing the game 5-for-6 out of the leadoff spot, picking-up a double, three runs scored and a RBI. The season-best five hits were the most for a Lion since A.J. LaMonda collected five on March 9, 2008 versus San Diego. Including the five-hit performance, Hawthorne has collected 13 multiple hit games, placing second on the team in that category.
THE ‘WHEELS’ CONTINUE TO TURN…
Junior Ryan Wheeler, a 2009 Wallace Watch List player, is proving himself worthy of the preseason accolades in 2009. The native of Torrance, Calif. is the team-leader in hits with 49 and doubles with 16. His .596 slugging percentage, 30 RBI, 41 runs scored, two triples, four home runs, eight hit-by-pitches and 81 total bases all rank second on the team, while his .360 batting average, .454 on-base percentage, 17 walks and four stolen bases place him third overall. Wheeler had a career-best 16-game hitting streak snapped when he finished 0-for-5 against UCLA on April 1. He batted .412 (28-for-68) with 17 runs scored, nine doubles, a home run, four walks, four stolen bases and 12 RBI over the span. In addition, he collected multiple hits in nine of the 16 games. Despite the one hitless game, Wheeler has batted safely in 20 of his last 21 games, hitting .418 (38-for-91) with 24 runs scored, 14 doubles, a triple, a home run, 18 RBI, 57 total bases and seven walks over the span. In addition to posting a perfect 4-for-4 mark in stolen bases, he has slugged .626 and reached base at a .475 rate. In all, he has totaled a team-best 14 multiple-hit games, including eight two-hit games and six three-hit performances. Furthermore, he has posted multiple hits in each of his last four games, including three on two occasions. Wheeler had an outstanding stretch of play in three games against Holy Cross, homering in all three games against the Crusaders from February 28-March 1. Wheeler had an outstanding day on February 21 against Utah when he batted 3-for-3 with three runs scored, two RBI, a double and a triple to fall a home run shy of the cycle. After batting 3-for-5 with three doubles and two RBI against Hawai’i on March 12 for his second three-hit game, he finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, three runs scored and two RBI against then-No. 24 Fresno State on March 22.
ON A ‘ROE’LL…
Freshman shortstop Shon Roe had six of the best games of his young career from March 28 to April 4. The native of Palmdale, Calif. hit safely in five of the six contests, batting .423 (11-for-26) with three doubles, two home runs, four runs scored, 20 total bases and 16 RBI. He slugged .769 and reached base at a .429 clip. In addition, Roe collected multiple-RBI in five of the six games, including recording four RBI in back-to-back games against Santa Clara on March 29 and then-No. 8 UC Irvine on March 31. He followed that mark with back-to-back three-RBI games against Portland to end the six-game run. He hit his first career home run on March 29 against Santa Clara, helping LMU to a nine-run ninth inning to take the series sweep of the Broncos.
MORE POWER TO BAUER…
Junior Brad Bauer has taken over the top-spot on the team in terms of batting average after earning starts at the designated hitter position. Bauer, who has started 15 games now and appeared in 22, is batting .390 (23-for-59) with five doubles, a triple, a home run, 14 walks and 16 RBI over 59 at bats. A transfer from Cuesta College, Bauer has hit safely in 14 of his 22 games played, including 12 of his 15 starts. Bauer had his best week of the season against UC Irvine, UCLA and Portland from March 31 to April 4, earning West Coast Conference Player of the Week. To read about his week, read the “BAUER NAMED WCC PLAYER OF WEEK” portion of this release. When he is not starting, Bauer is 2-for-5 (.400) as a pinch-hitter, collecting a pair of singles and a RBI to lead the team.
STELLAR SITUATIONAL STATISTICS…
LMU is batting .337 (203-for-602) with runners on base this season. With runners on and two out, LMU is equally as impressive, batting .318 (87-for-274) with 13 doubles, five triples, seven home runs and 89 RBI. Junior Angelo Songco and freshman Ryan Hawthorne pace the team in that situation, with Songco batting .459 (17-for-37) with 16 RBI. Hawthorne is 6-for-14 (.429) with six RBI. Songco gets better with runners in scoring position and two out, increasing his totals to .524 (11-for-21) with 14 RBI. LMU as a team is also reaching base at a .377 clip (114-for-302) to lead off innings this year.
HOMETOWN BOYS…
LMU is 13-5 in the friendly confines of Page Stadium this year. In contrast, the Lions tote a 7-9 record in games played away from home. Over the 18 games at home, LMU is batting .316 (203-for-642) with 46 doubles, 10 triples, 17 home runs, 164 runs scored and 142 RBI. The Lions have reached base at a .415 clip in home games and are slugging .498.
LIONS ACCORDING TO BOYD’S WORLD...
According to Boyd’s World, the Lions currently rank 25th in Strength of Schedule (SOS), which takes into account the results and success of LMU’s opponents this season, 39th in Iterative Strength Rating (ISR), which is essentially how tough a schedule looks today based on past results of the opponents and how LMU has fared thus far, and 53rd in Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), the official measure of team quality used by the tournament selection committee.
THE RELIEF CORPS…
LMU relievers have now tossed 126.2 innings, allowing 83 runs (70 earned) and striking out 124 batters to the tune of a 4.97 ERA. In addition, 11 of the Lions’ 20 wins belong to relief pitchers this season. Chris Eusebio has been the most called-upon, and one of the most effective, options out of the bullpen so far this year, tossing 26.1 innings over 16 appearances and striking out 28 batters. Opponents are hitting .240 against the right-hander, while he has accumulated a 2.73 ERA.
SCOUTING SAN FRANCISCO…
San Francisco enters the weekend series with the Lions toting a 15-18 record overall, 3-3 in conference play, having won three straight and four of its last five. The Dons beat Saint Mary’s in the final two games of a three-game series to take the WCC series last weekend. USF lost a series to Gonzaga, 2-1, to start WCC play two weekends ago. San Francisco is currently coming off a 7-1 victory over the Big West Conference’s Pacific on Tuesday of this week. Zach Kim leads the team offensively, batting .364 with 25 runs scored, 11 doubles, two triples, two home runs and 17 RBI. He is slugging .514 and reaching base at a .441 clip. Stephen Yarrow and Drew Johnson pace the team in home runs with four apiece, while Dane Braunecker has three. Along with Kim, Braunecker has also accumulated a team-best 25 runs scored. Derek Poppert is the leading RBI-man, collecting 22 on the year. Kim and Poppert are the leading base stealers for the team, swiping 19 and 10, respectively. Cameron Love is the team’s top pitcher, notching a 3.10 ERA and a 2-1 record in six starts and 13 appearances and 29 innings pitched. Doug Murray is the top starter in terms of wins and losses, toting a 5-0 record in seven starts and 47.2 innings of work. Matt Hiserman leads the pitching staff in strikeouts, punching-out 50 in 48 innings on the hill. The Dons, who currently sit tied for fourth in the WCC, were picked to finish fifth overall in the WCC Preseason Poll. San Francisco is coached by Nino Giarratano, who is in his 11th year at the helm of the program.
GET HIT AND GET ‘EM OVER…
LMU enters the week ranked 10th in the nation in hit-by-pitches with 53 (1.61/game) and fifth in the NCAA in sacrifice bunts with 36. The hit-by-pitch numbers include six times in game two of a doubleheader against Holy Cross on February 28. The Lions were hit a total of 11 times in the series against the Crusaders. The six hit batsmen marked the second time this season that LMU had been hit six times (2/21 vs. Utah). The overall mark also includes the opening series against the Utes in which LMU was hit by 12 pitches. LMU was hit just six times over the course of the four-game series against UC Santa Barbara, but that number includes five hit batsmen in game three of the series alone (3/7). With those five included, the Lions have been hit five or more times in a game on four occasions this year. Before this season, LMU was last hit six times in a game versus New Mexico State on February 21, 2004. Entering the weekend series against San Francisco, LMU has now been hit by 54 pitches and have remained at 36 sacrifice bunts. Junior Angelo Songco leads all players in hit-by-pitches, being hit on nine occasions. Ryan Wheeler has been hit eight times, while freshmen Trevor Gee has reached with a hit-by-pitch seven times. Evan Simonitsch paces the way in sacrifice bunts with nine, good for 16th in the nation coming into this week.
WE’RE GOING STREAKING…
Two Lion players enter the weekend series against San Francisco toting hitting streaks of nine games or better. Junior Angelo Songco enters with a 15-game hitting streak after hitting in 16 straight to start the year (dating back to the end of the 2008 season). Songco is batting .370 (20-for-54) with 19 runs scored, four doubles, five home runs, 14 walks, two stolen bases and 18 RBI over the span. With one hit on Tuesday, freshman Ryan Hawthorne is 15-for-45 (.333) with seven runs scored, three doubles, two walks and four RBI over a nine-game hitting streak. Junior Ryan Wheeler has hit safely in four games, but that comes after having a career-best 16-game hitting streak snapped against UCLA on April 1. Over the four-game hitting streak, Wheeler is 10-for-18 with seven runs scored, five doubles, a triple, three walks and six RBI, collecting multiple hits in each of the four contests, including three on two occasions. Wheeler has now hit safely in 20 of his last 21 games, batting .418 (38-for-91) with 24 runs scored, 14 doubles, a triple, a home run, 18 RBI, 57 total bases and seven walks over the span. In addition to posting a perfect 4-for-4 mark in stolen bases, he has slugged .626 and reached base at a .475 rate.
BETTER WITH TIME…
Entering the weekend series against San Francisco, LMU has outscored its opponents 39-28 in seventh innings this year. In all, LMU has outscored opponents 97-75 in seventh innings or later this season, including a 20-13 mark in the ninth. The Lions also hold the lead in the first (46-28), fourth (37-7), sixth (34-23) and eighth (35-26). The second (23-15), third (31-22) and fifth (30-9) show a favor toward the opponents. Extra-innings also favor opponents at 8-3.
HIGHS AND LOWS...
The Lions’ 8-2 start in 2009 was the best since LMU began the 1988 season with a 15-2 record. That team, led by Head Coach Dave Snow, went on to start the year 17-3, before finishing the season at 48-18. The 8-2 mark through the first 10 games was also the best start for a first-year Head Coach at LMU, as Jason Gill is in his first season at the helm of the program in 2009. After that mark, LMU dropped each of its next 10 games. Prior to the losing streak, LMU had won four straight, capped by a victory over then-No. 5 UC Irvine on March 3. Over the 10-game losing streak, LMU dropped five games by one run. The losing streak was the longest since LMU lost 10 straight from April 19 to May 4, 2003. After losing the 10 games, LMU went on to win eight straight before falling to No. 8 UC Irvine on March 31. The eight-game winning streak was the longest for the Lions since LMU won 10 straight from April 22 to May 12, 2000. LMU then started the year 20-14, the fastest route to 20 wins since LMU started the 2003 season at 20-12.
SONGCO NAMED CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK…
Junior Angelo Songco was named Co-WCC Player of the Week, it was announced by the conference office on March 23. Songco batted .467 (7-for-15) with seven runs scored, a double, two home runs and seven RBI to lead LMU to a 4-1 record, including a series sweep of then-No. 24 Fresno State. The Player of the Week selection was the first of his career for Songco, and the first of the year for the Lions. He shared the accolade with Gonzaga’s Mark Castellitto. Over the five games, Songco slugged .933 and reached base at a .667 clip, collecting 14 total bases and recording at least one hit in every game along the way. In addition, the native of Granada Hills, Calif. walked seven times, stole one base, and hit home runs in consecutive games against Long Beach State and Fresno State to start the week. In the series against Fresno State alone, he batted .500 (6-for-12) with five runs scored, five walks, a double, a home run and five RBI, slugging .833 and reaching base at a .684 clip. The highlight of his series came on Saturday in game two of a doubleheader when he finished 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored and three RBI.
JOHNSON WALKS INTO RECORD BOOKS…
Sophomore Jonathan Johnson walked a total of four times in game two of a doubleheader against Holy Cross on February 28. The four walks matched the LMU individual game record for that category, marking the seventh time a Lion has reached the plateau. Johnson joins DeAndre Miller (2/2/07), Sean Smith (3/15/03), Josh Whitesell (3/24/02, 3/15/02), Robert Hirsh (3/10/01) and Greg Bergeron (5/7/94) on the list.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES…
Freshman Shon Roe began the year 0-for-18 before recording his first hit against Long Beach State on February 25. The Lions returned to action on February 28 against Holy Cross, where things changed drastically for Roe. The freshman led all players with three hits in game two, batting 3-for-5 with a double, a run scored and five RBI. The five RBI were the most since Andy Preston collected six versus San Diego on March 9, 2008. Roe batted 2-for-4 with a RBI and a double in the first game of the double-dip, finishing a combined 5-for-9 with two doubles, a run scored and six RBI on the day. In addition, he also collected the game-winning hit in the Lions’ “walk-off” victory in game one against Holy Cross. Roe entered the Saturday doubleheader batting .053 (1-for-19) and left batting .214 (6-for-28).
GET OFF ON THE RIGHT ‘PAW’…
Since 2001, LMU has been victorious in six of its nine games on Opening Day, earning an 8-7 “walk-off” victory in 11 innings over Utah this season, and falling last season to Sac State, 11-7, on February 22. 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 in 2007 with a 9-5 victory over Sac State.
A DYNAMIC DUO…
Juniors Angelo Songco and Ryan Wheeler were named to the Rivals.com Preseason All-Conference team, it was announced on February 13. Rivals.com named one player from each infield position, three outfielders, a designated hitter, three starting pitchers and one reliever to the team. Wheeler was selected at first base, while Songco earned one of the three outfield spots. Last year, Songco garnered All-WCC First Team honors after starting 51 of LMU’s 55 games. The native of Granada Hills, Calif. finished the season batting .356 with 36 runs scored, 17 doubles, 15 home runs, 48 RBI, 130 total bases and a .681 slugging percentage. Wheeler garnered All-WCC First Team honors last year after batting .345 and starting every game for the Lions as a sophomore. The native of Torrance, Calif. finished the season with 36 runs scored, a conference-best 20 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 45 RBI and 110 total bases. In addition, he slugged .542 and reached base at a .405 pace.
AND THE SURVEY SAYS…
Loyola Marymount was picked to finish sixth in the West Coast Conference in 2009 according to the preseason coaches poll. University of San Diego and Pepperdine were picked as favorites to win this year’s WCC regular season title, while Gonzaga received the last remaining first place vote. The Toreros and Waves both received 45 points, with the Toreros receiving four first place votes to three for the Waves. Santa Clara was picked to finish third with 35 points. Gonzaga received 30 points to come in at fourth place, edging out San Francisco, which received 26 points, for fifth place. Rounding out this year’s poll are LMU, with 20 points, Saint Mary’s, with 14 points, and Portland, with nine points.
WALLACE WATCHES WHEELER…
Junior Ryan Wheeler was named to the 2009 Brooks Wallace Award Preseason Watch List, it was announced on December 5. Wheeler, a 2008 First Team All-West Coast Conference selection, earned a spot the prestigious list that will eventually determine the Player of the Year. Joining Wheeler from the WCC are USD’s AJ Griffin, Kyle Blair and Sammy Solis, while Santa Clara’s Thain Simon was also placed among those on the watch list. Saint Mary’s junior Kyle Jensen was also named, while Portland’s Riley Henricks and San Francisco’s Matt Lujan round out the players tabbed from the WCC. 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 2009 award banquet will be held Thursday, July 2, in the United Spirit Arena on the campus of Texas Tech University.
