May 18, 2011

Box Score

FULLERTON, Calif. - The LMU baseball team (26-22) scored once in the first inning but could not plate another run over the course of the game en route to dropping an 8-1 contest to No. 9 Cal State Fullerton (37-14) on Wednesday at Goodwin Field. With the win, the Titans took all three games over the Lions this year.

LMU managed just five hits, including a triple in the first inning from Jonathan Johnson. The triple was Johnson's 18th career three-bagger, pushing within one of the LMU all-time career record of 19 held by Bob Sheldon. Senior Joe Vierra went 2-for-4 to finish as the lone Lion with multiple hits, while junior Alex Guthrie contributed the lone RBI with a ground out to bring home Johnson in the first.

The Lions used five pitchers on Wednesday, including starter John Lally. The left-hander went two and a third innings and gave up three runs before Matt Florer surrendered four runs (three earned) over two innings. The Lions, who used four left-handers in the game, followed by calling on Sean McIntyre and then Ryan Hawthorne in relief. McIntyre allowed a run over an inning and two-thirds before Hawthorne managed to post the first zero defensively for the Lions. Senior Jeremy Burrell finished the game on the hill for LMU, tossing a scoreless eighth inning.

Cal State Fullerton, which stole four bases in the win, scored at least one run in each of the first six innings, plating one in the first through third, two in the fourth and fifth, and one more in the sixth. The Titans finished the game with 10 hits, including a perfect 3-for-3 day with a RBI and a run scored from Tyler Pill. Fullerton's leading RBI-man, Nick Ramirez, added to his total, finishing 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly, a double and two RBI.

The Titans used a staff day on the hill, calling on seven pitchers to work the nine innings on Wednesday. Jake Floethe got the start and went three innings, allowing the lone Lion run in the first, before six Titan pitchers each tossed one scoreless inning of relief. With no weekend series on tap for Cal State Fullerton this week, LMU saw two of the Titan weekend starters, including the Friday starter in Noe Ramirez. Ramirez tossed a perfect ninth inning to seal the seven-run victory.

The Lions return to action on Friday when they open a three-game West Coast Conference series against Portland at 3 p.m.