May 15, 2009
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -
Complete Release in PDF Format 
THE SCHEDULE
Games 55-57
LMU Lions (29-25, 12-6) at Gonzaga Bulldogs (30-15, 12-6)
Friday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m. at Gonzaga’s Washington Trust Field
Saturday, May 16 at 1:00 p.m. at Gonzaga’s Washington Trust Field
Sunday, May 17 at 1:00 p.m. at Gonzaga’s Washington Trust Field
BRIEFLY…
Having dropped each of its last four games, including a sweep at the hands of Arizona last weekend in non-conference play, LMU (29-25, 12-6) will head to Gonzaga (30-15, 12-6) to compete for the West Coast Conference Championship in a three-game series. The winner of the series will then host a three-game Championship Series with an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament on the line next weekend. The Lions will meet the Bulldogs in a critical game one on Friday at 6:30 p.m. The final two games will be played at 1:00 p.m.
GONZAGA TO VIDEO STREAM SERIES…
Gonzaga will be offering free video streaming for the entire three-game series against the Lions this weekend. Just head to www.gozags.com and click the appropriate links.
WCC CHAMPIONSHIP SCENARIOS…
As we head into the final week of conference play, four teams (GON, LMU, PEP, and USF) remain in the hunt for a spot in next week’s WCC Championship Series. Gonzaga and LMU will play this weekend, with the winner hosting the championships. Pepperdine would need to sweep its weekend series (vs. Santa Clara) to go along with San Francisco losing its series (at Portland) and a Gonzaga sweep to get in. San Francisco would need a sweep in its weekend series along with a Gonzaga or LMU sweep to get in.
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.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS OUT…
Working as LMU’s Friday starter for nearly the whole season, senior Lee Roberts owns a 7-1 record and a 3.69 ERA over 11 starts and 85.1 innings of work this season. He has allowed just 38 runs (35 earned) and 23 walks while striking out 74 hitters. Roberts has lasted at least six innings in nine of his 11 starts this year, and has amassed five or more strikeouts in all but one. The Lions have won nine of the 13 games in which Roberts has pitched, including seven of his last eight starts. Roberts enters the weekend series with Gonzaga ranked first in the WCC in shutouts (1), second in innings pitched (85.1) and complete games (2), third in wins (7), fifth in strikeouts (74) and ninth in ERA (3.69). He entered the week in the Top-100 in the NCAA in wins (64th ) and strikeouts (84th). Roberts contributed his second complete game of the season (third of his career) on April 24 at Saint Mary’s. Roberts pitched all nine innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven, including four strikeouts against freshman Troy Channing who entered the weekend as the WCC leader in batting average, RBI and home runs. He faced 37 hitters over the course of the game. Before the complete game, Roberts pitched another gem on April 17 to start a three-game WCC series against Pepperdine. The right-hander tossed eight innings, allowing only one run and scattering four hits and one walk while striking out six batters. He threw 96 pitches, including 68 for strikes. The native of Hermosa Beach, Calif. put the first six hitters down in order en route to retiring 14 of the first 15 he faced. He pitched to one batter over the minimum through the first six innings. Prior to the game against Pepperdine, Roberts pitched 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 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.
WHEELER IS A CLASS ACT…
Junior Ryan Wheeler was named CoSIDA Academic All-District for District VIII, it was announced on May 7. Wheeler, who owns a 3.41 GPA as a business major, is one of four infielders and 10 players on the Academic All-District squad. Wheeler was named to the West Coast Conference All-Academic Team last year. Wheeler’s name and stats will now be considered for Academic All-American recognition. Nominations and voting for the CoSIDA Academic All-District Teams is conducted by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America. To be nominated, a player must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his/her current institution. Nominated athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games at the position listed on the nomination form (where applicable). No student-athlete is eligible until he/she has completed one full calendar year at his/her current institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility. District VIII consists of schools located in California, Hawaii, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington.
REAL BASEBALL INTELLIGENCE…
Junior Angelo Songco is the 132nd-best Major League Baseball draft prospect according to Real Baseball Intelligence and www.withthefirstpick.net. Songco, who is pictured on the cover of the publication’s 2009 draft guide, is one of two Lions on the 200-player list, as fellow junior Ryan Wheeler also appears. Wheeler checks-in at number 172. Songco had been rated the No. 4 prospect in the last poll before the update on April 21. San Diego State’s Stephen Strasburg is first on the list, followed by Slade Heathcott (Texas HS) and Aaron Crow (Ft. Worth Cats).
IT’S JUST A NUMBER…
With a series sweep of then-No. 30 San Diego from May 1-3, LMU is now 9-2 against ranked opponents this season. The only two losses have come at the hands of UC Irvine (March 31 and April 13). LMU has taken down then-No.5 UC Irvine on March 3, swept then-No. 24 Fresno State in a four-game series from March 20-24, beat then-No. 6 Cal State Fullerton on April 7, and swept then-No. 30 San Diego in conference play from May 1-3. In games against ranked opponents this season, LMU has batted .332 (126-for-379) with 82 runs scored, 28 doubles, five triples, five home runs and 72 RBI. The team is slugging .474 and reaching base at a .407 clip. Junior Angelo Songco leads the team offensively in games against ranked opponents, batting a blistering .568 (21-for-37) with 14 runs scored, three doubles, eight walks and 17 RBI. He is slugging .892 and reaching base at a .640 clip.
LION TRACKS…
LMU allowed at least one run in every inning except the eighth en route to falling 11-2 to USC on the road on Wednesday. Seven different Lions collected a hit in the game, but LMU managed just seven total while leaving 14 runners on base. Kyle Spraker and Andrew Irvine each collected doubles in the loss, while Angelo Songco finished 1-for-2 with two walks and a RBI. native of Granada Hills, Calif. has now hit safely in eight straight games. Junior Jordan McClintick pitched four innings as the Lion starter, allowing five runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out three batters. Freshman Jason Wheeler was first out of the bullpen, allowing three unearned runs in an inning and two-thirds before Chris Eusebio surrendered three runs (one earned) on two hits in two-thirds of a frame. Xavier Esquivel pitched an inning and two-thirds scoreless to finish the game on the hill for LMU.
Prior to the loss on Wednesday at USC, LMU scored first on Saturday at Arizona, but allowed multiple runs in each of the third through seventh innings en route to falling, 12-2, to Arizona in game one of the three-game non-conference series. Junior Angelo Songco and sophomore Jonathan Johnson each collected two hits in the loss, as LMU collected just six hits as a team. Songco and Johnson each finished 2-for-4, while Ryan Wheeler doubled-in a run in the first inning. The double was Wheeler's 20th of the season, pushing him just two short of entering the Top-10 in the LMU Single-Season Record Books. Senior Lee Roberts got the start and took his first loss of the season, tossing five and a third innings, allowing eight runs (seven earned), on 12 hits while striking out seven batters. Freshman Jason Wheeler allowed two runs in two-thirds of a frame before Jeremy Burrell surrendered two runs while tossing two innings of relief.
LMU lost game two to Arizona by a count of 9-5 on Sunday at Arizona's Jerry Kindall Field. The Lions earned an early lead for the second consecutive game, but allowed Arizona's offense to come back. Senior Kyle Spraker led the Lion offense, finishing 4-for-5 with two runs scored, two doubles and a RBI. Junior Angelo Songco collected multiple hits for the fifth consecutive game, finishing 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Freshman Alex Gillingham got the start and started well, retiring the first five hitters in order. He lasted five innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on seven hits while striking out four batters en route to taking the loss. Junior Jordan McClintick contributed two and two-thirds innings, surrendering two runs on four hits and two walks before John Lally punched-out the only batter he faced in the game.
LMU held a lead into the ninth inning, but allowed two runs in the bottom of the frame, including one unearned after a costly throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt, en route to dropping a 7-6 decision to Arizona on Monday in the final game of the three-game series against the Wildcats in Tucson, Ariz. The loss marked the third time this season that the Lions had been swept in a weekend series. Junior Angelo Songco led the Lion offense on the night, belting two home runs in the game. The native of Granada Hills, Calif. finished 2-for-3 with the two round-trippers, three runs scored, a walk and four RBI. The home runs were numbers 14 and 15 of the season, and 33 and 34 in his career. He is now tied for eighth in the All-Time Single-Season record book, and sits seventh in the Career Book, sitting just one behind the sixth-place spot. Freshman Shon Roe and senior T.J. Bernardy each collected two hits in the loss, with Roe finishing 2-for-4 with two RBI. Bernardy notched a double, a walk and a run scored on the night. Freshman Ramiro Carreon dealt six innings as the Lion starter, earning a no decision after leaving with the lead. He allowed three runs on five hits and struck out six Arizona hitters. Senior Ernie Cho lasted two innings, surrendering two runs on four hits and punching-out two hitters. John Lally, the game's losing pitcher, allowed two runs (one earned) after hitting a batter and making an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt, trying to nail-down the save in the ninth inning. Sophomore Chris Eusebio surrendered the game-winning sacrifice fly, entering in the ninth and intentionally walking two batters to load the bases and set-up a force.
APRIL SHOWERS BRING ROBERTS POWERS…
Senior Lee Roberts was named West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Month for the month of April, the conference office announced on May 6. Roberts won every game he pitched in the month of April, finishing with a perfect 4-0 record. The native of Hermosa Beach, Calif. tossed 31 innings and struck out 25 batters to record a 3.48 ERA (12 er). He held opponents to a .231 batting average against, and fired one complete game over the span. The complete game was his second of the season. Roberts, who tossed at least seven innings and struck out at least five in each of his four starts last month, averaged 6.25 strikeouts a game. Roberts began the month by tossing seven innings and allowing six runs (four earned) on nine hits and four walks while striking out seven batters as LMU defeated Portland, 11-6. Roberts was strong again as the lead starter for LMU on April 9, lasting seven innings and allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out five batters to earn his fourth win of the year, a 12-3 victory over San Francisco. Roberts continued to improve in his third start, pitching eight innings, allowing only one run and scattering four hits and one walk while striking out six batters to improve to 5-0 on the season, guiding LMU to a 9-1 win over Pepperdine on April 17. He threw 96 pitches, including 68 for strikes. Roberts put the first six hitters down in order en route to retiring 14 of the first 15 he faced. He pitched to one batter over the minimum through the first six innings. Roberts finished his stellar month by tossing his second complete game of the season on April 24 at Saint Mary's, a game that the Lions won by a count of 5-4. Roberts pitched all nine innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven, including four strikeouts against freshman Troy Channing who entered the weekend as the WCC leader in batting average, RBI and home runs. He faced 37 hitters over the course of the game.
SONGCO NAMED CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK…
Junior Angelo Songco was named Co-WCC Player of the Week for the second time this season and in his career, it was announced by the conference office on May 4. Songco batted .583 (7-for-12) with five runs scored, a double, a triple, a home run, three walks, a sacrifice fly, a hit-by-pitch and four RBI to lead LMU to a 4-0 record the previous week, including a series sweep of then-No. 30 and first-place San Diego in WCC play. Songco shared the selection with Gonzaga's Ryan Wiegand, who hit .538 on the week with three doubles and six RBI, also becoming Gonzaga's all-time hits leader. Over the four games played, Songco slugged 1.083, reached base at a .647 clip and collected 13 total bases. In addition, the native of Granada Hills, Calif. collected at least one hit in each game, including two in each game against USD. In the series against No. 30 San Diego alone, he batted .667 (6-for-9) with four runs scored, a double, a home run, two walks, a sacrifice fly, three RBI and 10 total bases. He slugged 1.111 and reached base at a .692 rate. Songco's lone home run last week came on Sunday when the Lions trailed 4-1, sparking a comeback that saw the Lions "walk-off" with a 5-4 victory in the bottom of the ninth over San Diego, sealing the series sweep of the Toreros. In addition, his sacrifice fly came in the ninth inning of that same game, pushing home the game-tying run. He was last voted WCC Player of the week 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. 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, he 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.
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 a conference-best seven three-baggers on the year after failing to record one all of last season. Johnson is batting .298 with the seven triples, 10 doubles, a home run, 40 runs scored, 24 walks, six stolen bases and 21 RBI. The seven triples this season already place him tied for fourth in the Single-Season All-Time LMU Record Book. He needs two 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) Cal State Fullerton (April 7), San Francisco (April 9) and UC Irvine (April 13). Johnson posted his best day on April 9 versus San Francisco, finishing a perfect 5-for-5 before batting 4-for-4 against then-No. 3 UC Irvine on April 13. He had a stellar stretch of 10 games from April 3 to 17, batting .500 (20-for-40) with 10 runs scored, four doubles, four triples, three walks, a stolen base, 32 total bases and five RBI over the span. He slugged .800 and reached base at a .556 clip, helping guide LMU to a 7-3 record in those games. He hit his first career home run on April 24 at Saint Mary’s, helping LMU to a 5-4 victory in that game.
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 10 offensive categories, and has hit safely in eight straight games, collecting multiple hits in six of his last seven. For more information on his last eight games played, please check the “We’re Going Streaking…” section of this release. His .383 batting average, .719 slugging percentage, .502 on base percentage, 63 RBI, 15 home runs, 75 hits, 63 runs scored, 10 hit-by-pitches, 39 walks and 141 total bases all place him tops on the team, while his three triples and five stolen bases rank second overall. His walk and runs totals, along with his on base percentage, place him first in the West Coast Conference, while his batting average, slugging percentage, total bases, RBI and home runs all place second. Songco hit home runs in three consecutive games from April 4-7, marking the first time he had accomplished the feat in his career. He became 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 on May 11 at Arizona, marking the second time he had managed the feat this year. Songco also 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. Songco and Wheeler are the only two Lion players to hit two homers in a game this year, as Wheeler belted two against Cal State Bakersfield on April 29 of this season. Songco is also the only Lion player this year to hit a grand slam, doing so twice (April 4 versus Portland and April 14 at UC Riverside). 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. He then hit in 15 straight from March 17 to April 7, batting .370 (20-for-54) with 19 runs scored, four doubles, five home runs, 14 walks, two stolen bases and 18 RBI. Songco has now hit safely in 38 of his last 42 games. He has only been held hitless in back-to-back games once this season (March 6 and March 7 at UC Santa Barbara). Placing first on the team in multiple-hit games with 23, he has amassed four hits on two occasions (March 3 at UC Irvine and April 14 at UC Riverside). With 15 home runs this season, he has now collected 34 in his career, claiming sole possession of seventh in the All-Time LMU Record Books, one behind the sixth spot on the list. The 15 homers place tied for eighth in the Single-Season Record Book, while his 373 career total bases place him ninth all-time. He is also tied for eighth on the All-Time doubles list with 54.
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 doubles with 20 and hit-by-pitches with 10. His .324 batting average, .573 slugging percentage, .430 on base percentage, 48 RBI, 69 hits, 60 runs scored, three triples, nine home runs, 31 walks, 122 total bases and five stolen bases all rank second on the team. He turned-in a career day on April 29 of this year against Cal State Bakersfield, finishing 2-for-2 with two home runs, two walks, three runs scored and four RBI. It was the first time that Wheeler had collected multiple home runs in a game. The first baseman 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. Wheeler batted safely in 22 of 23 games from March 8 to April 11, hitting .420 (42-for-100) with 27 runs scored, 15 doubles, two triples, two home runs and 23 RBI over the span. In addition to posting a perfect 5-for-5 mark in stolen bases, he slugged .670 and reached base at a .477 rate. He has been held hitless just 11 times this year, and has failed to collect a hit in back-to-back games only three times, going hitless in the first three games against UC Santa Barbara from March 6-7, and hitless on April 18 and 19 at Pepperdine. In all, he has totaled 20 multiple-hit games, including 14 two-hit games and six three-hit performances. 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 a stellar 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. Showing complete disregard for ranking, he finished 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and a RBI against then-No. 6 Cal State Fullerton on April 7.
ON A ‘ROE’LL…
Freshman Shon Roe has amassed 16 multiple-hit games, placing fourth on the team, while posting nine multiple-RBI games, third on the squad overall and first in terms of freshmen. In WCC games alone, he is sixth in the WCC in RBI (21), sixth in doubles (7) and home runs (4), and 10th in total bases (40). He is batting .257 (52-for-202) with 26 runs scored, 10 doubles, four home runs and 38 RBI overall this year, starting 52 of LMU’s 54 games at shortstop. 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.
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 .314 (66-for-210) with 11 doubles, a home run, 21 walks, 37 runs scored and 28 RBI. Earning starts nearly all year in left field, and finding time as the Lion leadoff hitter earlier this year, Hawthorne is reaching base at a .381 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. Teammate Jonathan Johnson has since collected five hits in a game this season (April 9 versus San Francisco). Including the five-hit performance, Hawthorne has collected 18 multiple-hit games, placing third on the team in that category. He had a 16-game hitting streak from March 27 to April 19, batting .366 (26-for-71) with 12 runs scored, four doubles, six walks, a stolen base and seven RBI over the span. He collected multiple hits on five occasions over the span. Hawthorne belted his first career home run, a three-run shot, in the second inning of the game at Cal State Bakersfield on April 29.
MORE POWER TO BAUER…
Junior Brad Bauer has cemented his name near the top of the statistics in terms of batting average after earning starts at the designated hitter position. Bauer, who has started 27 games now and appeared in 37, is batting .321 (34-for-106) with seven doubles, 17 runs scored, a triple, a home run, 16 walks and 22 RBI. A transfer from Cuesta College, Bauer has hit safely in 22 of his 37 games played, including 19 of his 27 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 3-for-8 (.375) as a pinch-hitter, collecting three singles and a RBI to lead the team.
HOMETOWN BOYS…
LMU is 18-7 in the friendly confines of Page Stadium this year. In contrast, the Lions tote an 11-18 record in games played away from home. Over the 25 games at home, LMU is batting .314 (276-for-879) with 61 doubles, 15 triples, 24 home runs, 214 runs scored and 189 RBI. The Lions have reached base at a .410 clip in home games and are slugging .499.
LIONS ACCORDING TO BOYD’S WORLD...
According to Boyd’s World, the Lions currently rank 34th in Strength of Schedule (SOS), which takes into account the results and success of LMU’s opponents this season, 59th in Iterative Strength Rating (ISR), which is essentially a measure of the quality of a team’s season by combining its winning percentage with the difficulty of its schedule, and 91st 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 185.1 innings, allowing 126 runs (109 earned) and striking out 165 batters to the tune of a 5.29 ERA. 13 of the Lions’ 29 wins belong to relief pitchers this season. Chris Eusebio has been the most called-upon options out of the bullpen so far this year, tossing 38 and a third innings over 25 appearances and striking out 35 batters. Opponents are hitting .259 against the right-hander, while he has accumulated a 4.46 ERA. He enters the weekend series ranked third in the WCC in appearances, just two back of the conference leader (Brynteson, POR).
BULLDOG BANTER…
Gonzaga enters the weekend series with the Lions toting a 30-15 overall record and a 12-6 mark in the WCC, having dropped two of its last three games. The Bulldogs sit in a tie with LMU for first place in the WCC after taking two of three from Saint Mary’s two weekends ago. Gonzaga then dropped a game to then-No. 25 Oregon State on Tuesday of this week by a count of 8-1. Tyson Van Winkle leads the offense for the Bulldogs, batting .376 with 37 runs scored, 22 doubles, four home runs and 49 RBI. He is slugging .556 and reaching base at a .442 clip. Mark Castellitto paces the squad in power, hitting seven home runs on the season. Ryan Wiegand has collected 51 RBI, while Evan Wells leads the team in runs scored with 49 and stolen bases with 11. Matt Fields is the top starter for Gonzaga, toting a 2.72 ERA and a 6-1 record in 11 starts and 72.2 innings of work. The team-leader in strikeouts with 63, he has held opponents to a .262 batting average against. Steven Ames, who is scheduled to get the ball on Saturday, has pitched the most innings with 73.2 innings and has struck out 58. Cody Martin and A.J. Proszek get the bulk of the save opportunities, with Martin collecting four to Proszek’s three. Gonzaga is coached by Mark Machtolf, who is in his sixth year at the helm of the program.
GET HIT AND GET ‘EM OVER…OR DOUBLE OR TRIPLE…
LMU entered the week ranked 33rd in the nation in hit-by-pitches with 72 (1.38/game) and ninth in the NCAA in sacrifice bunts with 53. 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). LMU went on to be hit five times at home versus No. 30 San Diego on May 3. With those five included, the Lions have been hit five or more times in a game on five occasions this year. Before this season, LMU was last hit six times in a game versus New Mexico State on February 21, 2004. Juniors Angelo Songco and Ryan Wheeler, along with freshman Jonathan Johnson, lead all players in the category, being hit by a pitch on 10 occasions. Kyle Spraker has been hit nine times, while T.J. Bernardy and Trevor Gee have reached with a hit-by-pitch eight times. Evan Simonitsch and Kyle Spraker pace the way in sacrifice bunts with nine, good for 47th in the nation entering this week. Shon Roe has sacrificed himself eight times, placing 92nd in the NCAA this week. LMU also ranked 21st in the nation in triples (19), led by Johnson, who entered the week with seven, good for fifth in the NCAA. LMU needs just one more triple to enter the Top-5 in program history. Ryan Wheeler, who enters the week ranked 25th in the nation in doubles with 20, has guided LMU to 118 as a team coming into the week, placing them 29th in the NCAA. The Lions have now been hit by 73 pitches and have collected 121 doubles.
WE’RE GOING STREAKING…
Four Lion hitters carry a hitting streak of three games or better into the weekend series against Gonzaga. Junior Angelo Songco has hit safely in eight straight games, batting .600 (15-for-25) with nine runs scored, a double, a triple, three home runs, six walks and 11 RBI over the span. He has collected multiple hits in six of his last seven games. Junior Ryan Wheeler has hit safely in four games, hitting .250 (4-for-16) with a run scored, a double, two walks and a RBI over the span. Senior T.J. Bernardy is 4-for-7 (.571) with two runs scored, a double and three walks over a three-game streak. Senior Ollie Enos, who has also hit safely in three games, is batting .364 (4-for-11) with two runs scored, two doubles and a RBI.
BETTER WITH TIME…
Entering the three-game series at Gonzaga, LMU has outscored its opponents 45-37 in seventh innings this year. In all, LMU has outscored opponents 126-105 in seventh innings or later this season, including a 28-17 mark in the ninth. The Lions also hold the lead in the first (66-36), fourth (47-35), sixth (59-35) and eighth (50-43). The second (38-30), third (46-28) and fifth (51-21) 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.
LIONS RECEIVING VOTES …
The Lions are receiving votes this week for the second time this year. LMU received votes in the USA Today/ESPN Top-25 poll. LMU last received votes when The National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association had the Lions in the “receiving votes” section of its April 13 poll. Prior to this season, the Lions last received votes in Collegiate Baseball’s 2007 Preseason Poll.
SCATTER 14 HITS…IN A WIN?...
Senior Lee Roberts allowed 14 hits over seven innings of work to then-No. 30 San Diego on May 1, but managed to record a victory in the game, as LMU earned a 6-5 decision. Roberts became just the third Lion pitcher over the last 10 years to allow at least 14 hits and still earn a victory in a game. The last to do so was Vincent Cordova, who allowed 14 hits in a 7-5 victory over Gonzaga on April 17, 2003. The only other Lion in the last 10 years to manage the feat was Ben Bonilla, who allowed 14 hits in a 6-3 victory over Santa Clara on May 15, 1999. Kyle Huddy (March 28, 2002) and Michael Schultz (May 27, 2000) each allowed 15 hits in a game, the most hits a Lion hurler has allowed over the last 10 years. Roberts included, eight LMU pitchers have allowed at least 14 hits in a game over the span.
LIONS NAMED TEAM OF THE WEEK…
LMU was named one of Eric Sorenson’s Teams of the Week for the week beginning on April 13. Sorenson, who manages Collegebaseballtoday.com, selected LMU as the Team of the West, handing Honorable Mention accolades to New Mexico.
BAUER NAMED WCC PLAYER OF WEEK…
Junior Brad Bauer was named WCC Player of the Week, it was announced by the conference office on April 6. 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 was 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 April 4, he went 1-for-2 with a double, two walks, a run scored and a 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.
