May 3, 2010

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - For the second time this season, LMU baseball had a hand in both the WCC Pitcher and Player of the Week awards in a single week. Junior Jonathan Johnson was named Co-WCC Player of the Week while sophomore Martin Viramontes took home Pitcher of the Week accolades for his two-hit shutout of WCC-foe Saint Mary's on Sunday. LMU last swept the weekly awards on March 8 when Johnson and John Lally were lauded. Overall, this is the fourth Player of the Week and third Pitcher of the Week selection for LMU this year.

LMU finished the week with a 2-2 overall record and a 2-1 mark in the WCC after dropping a midweek game to Cal State Bakersfield on Tuesday and the first of a three-game series to Saint Mary's. The Lions rebounded to win the final two games of the weekend series against the Gaels at home.

Viramontes carried a no-hitter through two out in the ninth inning en route to tossing a two-hit shutout against Saint Mary's on Sunday. The Lions provided plenty of offense in the game, scoring 10 runs on 10 hits en route to the 10-0 victory. The two-hitter was the first for the Lions since Daniel Macias tossed a two-hitter against Gonzaga on April 30, 2006. The complete game was the second of the year for LMU, as freshman Aaron Griffin tossed nine against Cal State Fullerton on March 23 en route to a WCC Pitcher of the Week selection. Viramontes' complete-game shutout was the first dealt by a Lion since Lee Roberts shutout Santa Clara in a complete-game effort on March 27, 2009. The native of Fresno, Calif. went all nine innings, allowing just the two hits and two walks while striking out a season-best nine batters. He threw 132 pitches en route to the complete-game two-hit shutout. The right-hander retired 15 straight from the fourth inning through the first Gael hit, collected by Ryan Mulligan, on a 3-2 pitch with two-out in the ninth.

Johnson batted .600 (9-for-15) with six runs scored, a double, two triples, three walks and four RBI last week. He also collected a sacrifice fly and a stolen base while slugging .933 and reaching at a .650 clip. In the three-game series against Saint Mary's alone, Johnson batted .677 (8-for-12) with a double, two triples, six runs scored, two walks and four RBI. He slugged 1.083 and reached at a .667 clip. In Friday's game against Saint Mary's, Johnson nearly hit for the cycle, as the first of his two triples in that game hit off the top of the wall in straight-away centerfield. He finished the game 4-for-4 with four runs scored, three RBI, a walk, a sacrifice fly, a double and two triples. The native of Lakewood, Calif. then collected a pair of hits on Saturday and Sunday, including a 2-for-4 day with two runs scored and a RBI in the finale.

The Lions will not compete this week due to finals, but will return to action on May 11 when they host Cal Poly at 3 p.m.