May 2, 2010

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - A weekend trip to San Diego was nothing like a vacation as LMU saw its title hopes begin to slip away as a result of a four-game sweep at the hands of hosts San Diego. The Lions (22-22, 9-7 PCSC) entered the weekend tied atop the Pacific Coast Softball Conference Coastal Division standings but leave struggling to keep pace after the Toreros took both ends of Sunday's doubleheader, 7-2 and 6-5. LMU enters the final week of play four games behind division leaders Saint Mary's in the loss column.

Despite dropping both of Saturday's contests, the Lions went into Sunday's fare with the confidence of going a perfect 6-0 over the PCSC season's first three Sundays. That mood soon changed, however, when USD scored six unanswered runs in game one to break open a 1-1 ballgame. LMU bounced back to take a 5-1 lead into the seventh inning of game two but USD rallied for five runs to complete the sweep.

After falling behind 1-0 in the second, senior J.J. Hartung's RBI single in the bottom of the inning pulled the Lions even. It would stay that way until the fifth, when Taylor Hensley hit a solo home run, her second of the series, to give USD a lead it would not relinquish. Mickell Escobar's double in the sixth extended the advantage to 3-1 and a four-run seventh, highlighted by Celeste Soto's two-run homer, put the game away. LMU would rally for a run in the seventh on sophomore Sam Fischer's double, her team-leading 35th RBI of the season, but the deficit would be too great to overcome.

USD's Jennifer Ellenbeck (13-11) got the better of LMU senior Melissa Dykema for the second straight day. Ellenbeck gave up two runs (one earned) on 10 hits, taking advantage of nine runners left stranded by the Lions. Dykema fell to 12-13 after allowing three runs on three hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings. Sophomore Corie Goodman conceded all four runs in the seventh before freshman Erica Grady mopped up.

Four different Lions had multi-hit outings in game one. Fischer, Hartung, senior Darcy Pagnini, and freshman Danielle Smith all had two hits apiece, albeit in a losing effort.

Things were looking much better in game two as LMU tried to avoid its first-ever four-game PCSC series sweep at the hand of the Toreros. Two singles, an illegal pitch, a Pagnini sacrifice fly, and a wild pitch helped LMU jump out to a 2-0 lead but Escobar pulled a run back in the second on an RBI single. The Lions would add three more in the fifth to take a seemingly insurmountable lead into the seventh. Junior Jennifer Nayudu led off the fifth with a single and was sacrificed to second, moving to third on the hot-hitting Hartung's single up the middle. An illegal pitch brought home Nayudu and advanced Hartung into scoring position and a walk and hit batter loaded the bases. After Fischer popped out, Pagnini delivered a clutch two-run single to make it 5-1.

With all of LMU's come-from-behind wins this season, it was almost cruel the way the Toreros stormed back for the win. Entering the final frame, freshman Molly Medeiros had scattered five hits and was chasing her fifth PCSC victory of the year. USD had other thoughts, however, and with one out, Kristen Gensler and Danielle Duhart hit back-to-back singles, with Gensler coming home on Hensley's double to left. That ended the day for Medeiros and Goodman was greeted in relief by a double to center by Soto that made it 5-3. After the Lions intentionally walked Ellenbeck to create a force out at any base, Carey Casciola dealt the knock-out blow with a base-clearing double to the wall that pushed USD ahead 6-5.

LMU still had last ups in the seventh and made some noise when junior Amy Charpentier collected her second single of the game and Pagnini moved the tying run into scoring position with a single of her own. With the winning run on first in the form of Pagnini, Alyssa Luna shut the door on the Lion comeback by striking out senior Christine Foley.

Goodman (2-1) took the loss, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk without recording an out. Medeiros lasted 6 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits while equaling her career-high with seven strikeouts.

Pagnini was 3-for-3 with three RBI for the Lions, with Charpentier adding a 2-for-3 effort. Hartung singled once to extend her hitting streak to a season-high eight games.

LMU closes out the regular season at home next week against Sacramento State. The Lions need some help from Cal State Bakersfield against Saint Mary's to make up some ground in the standings. LMU and Sac State will play a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday following graduation on campus, then hold Senior Day on Sunday in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Check www.LMULions.com for information on special parking regulations during graduation weekend.