March 21, 2011

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - Junior Alex Gillingham took home WCC Pitcher of the Week recognition on Monday, becoming the fourth consecutive Lion player lauded by the conference this year. Matt Lowenstein (February 28), Bret Dahlson (March 7) and Alex Guthrie (March 14) each claimed WCC Player of the Week selections over the last three weeks. The Pitcher of the Week selection is the first for the Lions since Aaron Griffin was named Co-Pitcher of the Week on March 29, 2010.

Gillingham tossed a complete-game shutout as LMU defeated No. 14 UC Irvine by a count of 4-0 on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader at Page Stadium. Gillingham, who improved to 3-2 on the year, tossed 130 pitches (86 strikes) en route to the first complete-game shutout for the Lions since Martin Viramontes shut out Saint Mary's on May 2, 2010. The native of Thousand Oaks, Calif. finished the game with a career-best 11 strikeouts and walked just one while allowing three hits. He retired 17 straight from two out in the first through one out in the seventh. For Gillingham, the complete game was the second of the year and of his career, as he tossed eight in a loss on the road to UC Riverside on February 19. The right-hander had tossed eight innings in each of his previous four starts this year.

LMU posted a pair of shutouts last week, blanking San Diego State at home on Tuesday by a count of 5-0 before earning a 4-0 victory over #14 UC Irvine on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader. The Lions also dropped a pair of decisions to the Anteaters, 5-2 on Friday and 4-1 on Saturday in game two.

LMU returns to action on Tuesday when it hosts Long Beach State for a game at 3 p.m.