March 9, 2011
SAN BRUNO, Calif. - The LMU baseball team swept the WCC Player of the Month awards for the month of February, as sophomore Matt Lowenstein was named WCC Player of the Month and junior Martin Viramontes took home WCC Pitcher of the Month accolades. The Pitcher of the Month selection is the first for LMU since Lee Roberts was named Pitcher of the Month for his work in April of 2009. The Player of the Month selection is the first for the Lions since 2003 when Jonathan Oller took home the honor for the month of March.
The Lions went 7-1 over the course of the month of February. The start marked just the third time that LMU had began a season with a record of 7-1 or better. The Lions were undefeated through eight just once, playing to 8-0 en route to the program's only College World Series berth in 1986. In addition to this season, LMU achieved a 7-1 record in 1987.
Lowenstein batted .519 for the month of February. The left-handed hitter collected a team-best nine runs scored, a triple and five RBI while drawing seven walks out of the leadoff spot in all but one game. He reached base at a .611 clip and slugged .593 while stealing a pair of bases. The native of Chino Hills, Calif. batted safely in each of the final seven games in the month, including recording multiple hits on four occasions (three hits three times). Highlights of the month were 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two walks at Long Beach State on February 22, 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a walk and two RBI against Nevada on February 25, and 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a triple and three RBI against Nevada on February 27.
Viramontes went 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA over two starts in the month of February. The right-hander tossed 12.1 innings and allowed just three runs (two earned) while striking out 12. Opponents hit a measly .182 off the native of Fresno, Calif. Viramontes defeated UC Riverside on February 19 by tossing five and a third innings and allowing just one earned run with four strikeouts as the Lions won 4-2. He followed up that performance with a victory over Nevada on February 27, pitching seven innings of one-run ball and allowing just three hits while striking out eight.
The Lions continue the 2011 season this weekend when they travel to Cal Poly for a four-game series starting on Friday at 6 p.m.
