May 22, 2010

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - LMU (22-28, 4-13) put the tying run on in the ninth inning with one out on Saturday, but the Lions were doubled-up by Gonzaga (19-32, 7-10) on a line drive to centerfield to end the threat and the game. LMU matched Gonzaga's hit total with nine, but the Bulldogs defeated LMU 5-3 in the game.

Freshman Matt Lowenstein and sophomore Evan Simonitsch each collected a pair of hits in the loss, with Lowenstein batting 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Alex Guthrie and Ryan Hawthorne each doubled in the game for LMU, with Hawthorne also driving in a run.

Sophomore John Lally dealt the first four and two-thirds innings, allowing four runs on six hits and four walks while striking out three. Lally has now lost five straight starts and owns a record of 3-5. Senior Xavier Esquivel tossed the final three and a third innings, surrendering one run on three hits and a walk.

Drew Heid provided the bulk of the Gonzaga offense, batting 3-for-3 with a home run, a double, two runs scored and two RBI. He finished just a triple short of the cycle, while LMU walked him once.

Lefty Ryan Carpenter pitched the first six innings for Gonzaga, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out two batters en route to claiming the victory. Andrew Danner tossed one scoreless inning of relief before Mark Phillips lasted two frames and struck out two to earn his third save of the year, including his second in as many games against the Lions.

Heid got the offense rolling in the first, belting a leadoff homer to left centerfield on the ninth pitch of the at bat in the bottom of the first. For Heid, the homer was his eighth overall and second leadoff shot this year.

The Lions answered for a pair of runs in the fourth, claiming a 2-1 advantage headed into the bottom of the inning. Lowenstein singled to start the inning before LMU benefitted from a pair of Bulldog mistakes defensively. After a fly ball for an out and a Lowenstein stolen base, Jason Barmasse lined a single into centerfield to put runners at the corners. A passed ball allowed the first run to score and moved Barmasse to second, followed shortly by a ground ball for the second out, leaving the runner at third with two down. A second miscue, this time a wild pitch, allowed Barmasse to scamper home with the go-ahead run.

The lead did not last long for the Lions, as Gonzaga posted three runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-2 lead. Heid contributed a RBI-single for the first run before Steven Halcomb singled through the left side to chase home the second. After the Bulldogs managed to load the bases with one out, Andy Hunter lifted a fly ball to left field, deep enough to earn a sacrifice fly and a RBI.

Lowenstein once again got the Lions going in the sixth, singling to left centerfield before moving to second on a walk issued to Matt Koch. Hawthorne collected the RBI and cut the deficit to one run at 4-3 with a RBI-double past Heid in centerfield. Unfortunately for the Lions, LMU was unable to do any further damage in the inning.

Gonzaga added one final insurance run in the eighth inning when Cameron Edman doubled and came around to score on a 6-4-3 double play later in the inning. Colton Plaia got the Lion ninth inning started with a base hit before Simonitsch collected his second hit of the day to put the tying run at first base. After Case Miyahira took over for Simonitsch as the Lion trail runner, Jonathan Johnson hit a sinking liner to centerfield where Heid came rushing in and made the catch. In one fluid motion, the centerfielder fired to second base where Plaia had taken too big a secondary lead, resulting in a double play to end the game.

The Lions will look to salvage the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. with a win in the third and final game between the two teams.