May 1, 2011

Box Score

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The LMU baseball team (21-20, 5-7) led 6-0 headed into the bottom of the seventh inning, but San Francisco (24-20, 10-2) scored four times in the seventh, twice more in the eighth, and once in the bottom of the 13th on a Mason Morioka RBI-double to earn its second walk-off extra-inning victory over the Lions in as many days, 7-6, on Sunday at Benedetti Diamond. Morioka finished the game 1-for-6 with the double, the RBI and four strikeouts. With the win, USF swept LMU to maintain sole possession of first place in the WCC.

LMU had four players with two hits on Sunday en route to 12 hits on the day, but the Lions stranded 11 runners on base and struck out 15 times. Senior Joe Vierra went 2-for-5 with a run scored, while Matt Koch went 2-for-6 with a two-RBI double and a run scored. Shon Roe and Zac Fujimoto both went 2-for-5 with a RBI in the loss.

Sophomore Aaron Griffin got the start and pitched relatively well, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six over six and a third. Matt Florer allowed the game-tying runs over an inning and two-thirds before Jeremy Burrell tossed a scoreless ninth. Sean McIntyre and Bret Dahlson each toed the rubber twice on Sunday, as the two traded places between first base and the pitching mound on two different occasions. McIntyre went two and a third combined innings, allowing two hits while striking out two, while Dahlson tossed an inning and a third and allowed the game-winning run on two hits and a walk. With the loss in only his second appearance this year, Dahlson fell to 0-1.

Outside of the game-winning hit from Morioka, two two-run home runs proved crucial for USF. Ted Lemasters belted his second home run of the year in the four-run USF seventh before Matt Chavez contributed a two-run pinch-hit blast in the eighth to knot the tally at six.

The Dons used six pitchers on Sunday, including the starter Matt Hiserman. The right-hander lasted just four and a third innings and allowed five runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five. Elliott Waterman tossed the final three scoreless innings for the Dons, striking out three en route to his fifth win of the season.

LMU broke a scoreless tie in the third inning with one run on two hits and a sacrifice fly. One-out singles from Jonathan Johnson and Vierra set the table for a sacrifice fly off the bat of Matt Lowenstein to hand LMU the early 1-0 lead.

The Lions exploded for five runs in the fifth to take what looked to be a comfortable 6-0 lead. Dahlson singled to get the ball rolling before a walk and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for the Lions. After a shallow fly ball that didn't result in a run, Koch came up clutch with a two-RBI double to put LMU on top 3-0. Three straight RBI-singles with the infield drawn in from Alex Guthrie, Shon Roe and Fujimoto capped the scoring run as the Lion offense came alive. Unfortunately for the Lions, those five runs would be the last of the day for LMU.

USF got their scoring party started in the seventh when four straight hits, including a RBI-single from Travis Higgs and a two-run homer from Lemasters plated the first three runs of the inning. After a fielder's choice and a double put runners at second and third, Florer unleashed a wild pitch that allowed the fourth and final run to score from third base.

The Dons worked back to even in the eighth all with two out. A two-out hit-by-pitch allowed a runner to reach before USF elected to pinch hit with Chavez. The move proved effective as Chavez hit a towering home run to centerfield to tie the game.

The two teams played scoreless into the bottom of the 13th when USF broke the tie and earned the walk-off win. Higgs reached with a leadoff walk before a failed bunt attempt left a runner at first with one out. Adamant about having a runner in scoring position, USF elected to sacrifice its second out for 90 feet, moving the runner to second with a bunt. That decision proved fruitful on the next at bat as Morioka worked the count full and laced a game-winner into the gap in left centerfield to plate the run.

The Lions will return to action on Saturday when they travel to Cal State Bakersfield for a game at 6 p.m.