March 27, 2010

Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Freshman Matt Lowenstein did something that no Lion has done in at least 10 years, and LMU (12-11) earned a sweep of a doubleheader on Saturday, defeating Albany (1-15) by a count of 12-3 in the second game of the day.

Lowenstein finished the game 4-for-4 with four doubles, a run scored and a RBI. LMU Athletics' computer-generated statistics run from 1998 through the current game, and over that span, no Lion has collected four doubles in a game. The last Lion to collect three doubles in a game was Kyle Spraker, who did so against Saint Mary's on April 24, 2009. Shon Roe went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a pair of doubles and two RBI. As a pair, Lowenstein and Roe, hitting sixth and seventh in the order, went 7-for-8 with six doubles, four runs scored and three RBI. Matt Koch and Joel Licon each contributed a home run in the lopsided victory, while Ryan Hawthorne extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a RBI-single in his last at bat. Licon batted 2-for-3 with the homer, a walk, two runs scored and four RBI out of the ninth spot in the order.

Sophomore John Lally dealt the first seven innings for LMU, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks while striking out six batters. With the victory, he improved to 3-0 on the year. After throwing 121 pitches, Lally handed the ball over the Greg Meyers. The right-hander pitched the final two perfect innings, striking out three of the six batters he faced.

Ralph Keppler collected his second home run of the year en route to finishing 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored for Albany. Kasceim Graham pitched the first six innings for the Great Danes, allowing seven runs on 10 hits before taking his first loss of the season.

After a scoreless inning and a half, LMU got on the board with a run in the bottom of the second. A pair of two-out doubles from Lowenstein and Roe resulted in the run. Lowenstein split the gap in left centerfield before Roe lined the first pitch of his at bat down the left field line to chase home the runner and put the Lions ahead, 1-0.

Albany got back to even with a run in the top of the fourth. Brian Bullard contributed a one-out double to start the inning before moving to third on a single to shortstop from Brendan Rowland. Jeff Welsh brought the tying run home on the ensuing play, chopping a ball to shortstop for the productive out.

LMU wasted no time regaining the lead, plating three more runs in the home-half of the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. Koch single-handedly broke the 1-1 tie with a towering shot over Mikos Blue Monster in left field. For Koch, it was his team-best seventh round-tripper of the year. For the second time in the game, a pair of back-to-back doubles from Lowestein and Roe resulted in a run, as the Lions pushed the second tally across in the frame. Joel Licon contributed a clutch two-out RBI two batters later, allowing Roe to cross safely with LMU's fourth run of the game.

The Great Danes responded well in the top of the fifth, scoring twice on one swing of the bat from Keppler. A one-out walk set the table for Keppler's second home run of the year, a line drive over the wall in left field on a 2-0 pitch to cut the deficit to one run at 4-3.

The Lions added three more runs in the sixth inning to run the lead to 7-3, highlighted by Licon's first career home run, a three-run shot over the wall in left field. Roe collected his third hit of the day before Alex Guthrie singled to put runners at first and second to set the table for Licon's blast.

LMU widened the gap to six runs with two more in the seventh. Pinch-runner Nick Truhan stole third and scored the first Lion run on an errant throw trying to put him out on the play. After Colton Plaia walked, Lowenstein contributed his fourth double of the day to cap the scoring run.

The Lions added three more insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a nine-run lead into the top of the ninth. A Case Miyahira two-RBI double and a Hawthorne RBI-single back up the middle highlighted the frame. For Hawthorne, the single extended his hitting streak to 12 games. The nine-run cushion was plenty enough for Meyers, who dealt a perfect ninth inning to ensure the Lion victory.

LMU and the Great Danes will conclude the four-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m., as the Lions go for the series sweep.