Box Score April 23, 2010
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LOS ANGELES, Calif. - LMU (16-19, 0-7) dropped an 8-5 decision to San Francisco (21-17, 4-2) to open a three-game West Coast Conference series that will be played at LMU's Page Stadium over the weekend. The Lions are now 0-7 in WCC play for the first time since going 0-8 to start the 1995 conference campaign.
The Lions managed five doubles on Friday, including a pair from Jason Barmasse. The right-handed hitter finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and the two doubles. Three other Lion hitters collected two hits in the loss, as Shon Roe, Ryan Hawthorne and Matt Lowenstein each collected a pair. Lowenstein drove-in two runs, while Hawthorne and Roe each posted one RBI. With the two hits, Hawthorne has now collected multiple hits in four straight games.
Sophomore John Lally lasted five innings, allowing six runs on nine hits and four walks as LMU's starting pitcher en route to taking the loss. Senior Xavier Esquivel tossed two and two-thirds innings, surrendering just one unearned run before Jason Wheeler also allowed an unearned run in an inning and a third on the hill. The Lions committed two errors in the game, as both eventually led to runs.
Connor Bernatz and Robert Abel each collected three hits in the victory for San Francisco, as Abel and Nik Balog each homered. Abel went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored, while Bernatz was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and a RBI. Doug Murray went seven innings as the Don starter, allowing four runs on nine hits and two walks to earn his sixth win of the season. Matt Hiserman entered in the eighth inning and pitched the final two frames, surrendering one run on two hits to earn his second save of the year.
San Francisco posted three runs in the second inning to start the scoring on Friday. Travis Higgs reached with an infield single before Balog connected for his sixth home run of the season, a two-run shot to right centerfield. Abel reached with a one-out bunt single to restart the rally, coming around to score on a Jason Mahood RBI-double off Mikos Blue Monster with two out in the inning.
The Lions wasted no time responding, scoring four times in the home-half of the second to take a 4-3 lead. A Trevor Gee walk and a Barmasse double put runners at second and third with nobody out. Alex Guthrie did his job by grounding a ball to the right side to plate the first run of the game for LMU and move Barmasse to third. Lowenstein followed with a similar productive out, lining a ball deep enough to centerfield to bring home the run on a sacrifice fly. Back-to-back doubles from Jonathan Johnson and Roe resulted in the tying run before Hawthorne extended his hitting streak with a RBI-single back up the box on a 0-2 pitch to put the Lions ahead by a run.
The Dons got back to even at four runs apiece in the fourth, scoring once on a sacrifice fly from Derek Poppert. Abel reached with an infield single to start the frame, moving to third on a single into right field from Mahood. Poppert made the most of the RBI-opportunity on the ensuing play, lifting a deep fly ball to left to push home the run and tie the score.
After a scoreless bottom of the fourth, USF reclaimed the lead on one swing of the bat from Abel. A two-out double down the left field line from Bernatz set the table for Abel's second home run of the year, a towering shot over the Monster in left field to run the tally to 6-4.
LMU surrendered an unearned run in the seventh as USF extended the lead to 7-4. Higgs reached on an error by Gee at third base to start the inning before stealing second base for his second stolen base of the day. Bernatz contributed the RBI-double two batters later to extend the lead, but LMU worked out of further damage by stranding the bases loaded when Esquivel struck out Mahood and Poppert swinging for the final two outs.
LMU cut the deficit to two runs at 7-5 with a single run in the home-half of the eighth. Barmasse started the inning with his second double of the game before coming around to score on a Lowenstein double to right field, the fifth of the game for the Lions.
The Dons added one last unearned insurance run in the top of the eighth to take an 8-5 lead into the ninth inning. Bernatz singled and stole second base with one out to put himself in scoring position. After a bullet that was snagged on the hill by Wheeler for out number two, Pete Lavin grounded a ball off of Guthrie's glove at first base, allowing the final run to score.
The Lions were unable to get any offense going in the ninth en route to dropping the decision. The two teams will continue the three-game series tomorrow at 2 p.m.
