Feb. 20, 2010

Box Score | Photo Gallery

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - LMU (0-2) led early, but allowed runs in each of the final four frames en route to dropping g a 9-6 decision to No. 7 UC Irvine (2-0) on Saturday at LMU's Page Stadium. The game, which was LMU's home-opener, saw five home runs, including three for the Lions. LMU, which committed five errors defensively on Saturday, has now out-hit UC Irvine in each of the first two games of the three-game series, but have recorded the loss in both.

Jonathan Johnson, Matt Koch and Alex Guthrie all hit home runs on Saturday, including the first of their careers for Koch and Guthrie. Johnson proved to be a highlight for LMU, finishing a perfect 4-for-4 with the homer, a hit-by-pitch, a run scored and three RBI. Koch went 4-for-5 with the home run, a double, two runs scored and a RBI. He is now hitting .667 (6-for-9) with a home run, two runs scored and three doubles to start the year.

Sophomore Ramiro Carreon tossed 5.2 innings as the LMU starter, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out three batters. Senior Xavier Esquivel pitched an inning and a third of relief, allowing two runs on two hits and one walk en route to being tagged with his first loss of the season. Junior Chris Eusebio dealt the final two innings on the hill for LMU, allowing a pair of runs (one earned) on two hits and striking out two.

Francis Larson and Sean Madigan each collected three hits and a RBI for UC Irvine, with Madigan scoring twice and Larson hitting a home run. Ronnie Schaeffer finished 2-for-4 with a home run of his own, two runs scored and three RBI. All-American Christian Bergman got the start, but did not factor in the decision after tossing four and a third innings and allowing five runs on 10 hits and one walk. Matt Summers, the game's eventual winning pitcher, was outstanding over three innings, surrendering just three hits and striking out four. Andy Lines, who earned a save in Friday's season opener, dealt a third of a frame before giving way to Kyle Necke. Necke pitched the final inning and a third, surrendering just the home run to Koch in the ninth, en route to his first save of the season.

The Lions got on the board first in the game, as Johnson connected for a leadoff home run in the first inning. The home run was Johnson's second of his career, with the first coming on April 24, 2009 at Saint Mary's. The leadoff home run was the first for the Lions since Eric Farris homered to start a game against Portland on May 12, 2007.

After two quick outs, Johnson and the Lions were back at it again in the second, scoring once more to take a 2-0 advantage. A Joe Vierra two-out single got the momentum moving before Case Miyahira drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Johnson followed with a clutch two-out RBI, pulling the first pitch of his at bat through the right side to bring home Vierra.

UC Irvine answered right back in the top of the third inning, scoring three times on one swing of the bat. Madigan and Tommy Reyes set the table with a pair of bloop singles to put runners at first and second. Irvine elected to bunt the runners along on the ensuing play, trading an out for 90 feet. Carreon buckled-down from there, striking out Casey Stevenson for the second out. Unfortunately for the Lions, Schaeffer did not let Carreon off the hook without payment, blasting a three-run shot, his first of the season, over the wall in left-centerfield.

LMU did not surrender the lead for long, benefiting from Guthrie's first career home run in the bottom of the third with two out. Koch continued his hot hitting with a one-out double, moving to third on a ground ball from Gee for out number two. After working the count to 2-2, Guthrie turned on a fastball and drove it over Mikos Blue Monster in left field for a two-run shot to hand LMU the 4-3 advantage.

The Lions added another run in the fourth, as Johnson once again contributed the run-scoring blow. Vierra collected his second hit of the day to start the frame, moving to second base on a Miyahira sacrifice bunt. Johnson followed with a base hit back up the middle on a 2-2 pitch on the ensuing play, pushing home Vierra from second without a throw. Bergman managed to wiggle his way out of further trouble, picking-off Johnson and inducing a groundout to second base off the bat of Jason Barmasse.

Carreon pitched out of trouble in the fifth, stranding the bases loaded. Madigan led things off with his second single of the day. A fielder's choice and catcher's interference put runners at first and second with one out before Stevenson grounded out to first base for the second out of the inning. Schaeffer won a long at bat that saw the count run full to load the bases, but Carreon got Larson to roll a pitch up the first base line to retire the side and end the threat.

The Anteaters evened the tally at five by scoring two runs in the top of the sixth inning. A one-out walk to Jeff Cusick set the table for a RBI-double down the right field line off the bat of Madigan. After Esquivel took over for Carreon on the hill, Reyes grounded a ball back up the middle where Roe fielded cleanly but threw high to first for a costly error, allowing Madigan to score all the way from second base and tie the score.

UC Irvine took the lead in the seventh and did not look back from there, scoring a pair of runs to run the tally to 7-5. Stevenson walked to get the ball rolling before scoring on the ensuing play, a single to left field off the bat of Schaeffer that was not fielded cleanly in left field by Vierra. Larson followed with a single through the right side to put runners at the corners before Hillman drove in the final run with a ground ball to shortstop.

The Anteaters extended the lead to three runs by scoring an unearned run in the eighth off of Eusebio. Madigan grounded out to start the inning, but Roe committed an error on the ensuing play, allowing Reyes to reach. After a Reyes stolen base, Fox moved him to third with a ground ball to the right side. Stevenson followed with the clutch two-out RBI-single to make the error hurt.

The Lions brought the tying run to the plate in the home-half of the eighth, but were unable to push a run across in the frame. A one-out walk to Vierra put the first runner aboard before Lines took over for Summers on the hill for UCI. Miyahira struck out looking on the ensuing play, but Johnson kept his perfect day at the plate alive with a hit-by-pitch to put runners at first and second. Necke entered from the Irvine bullpen and stopped the threat, inducing a fly ball to right field.

The two teams traded home runs in the ninth inning en route to Irvine taking the 9-6 victory. Larson hit the second pitch of the frame over the wall in left for Irvine, while Koch completed a stellar day at the plate for LMU, belting his first career home run to the same part of the yard in the home-half.

LMU and UC Irvine complete the three-game series tomorrow at Anteater Ballpark. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.