May 7, 2011

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
Video highlights and postgame interviews from Lions' All-Access.

LOS ANGELES - LMU's pitching staff of sophomores Molly Medeiros and Dana Waldusky were lights-out in pitching the Lions to a doubleheader sweep over San Diego to open the final weekend of Pacific Coast Softball Conference play on Saturday at Smith Field. Medeiros tossed a seven-hitter in a 3-1 game one victory and Waldusky followed it up with a two-hitter for a 2-1 win in game two to lift the Lions (30-25, 14-4 PCSC) into a tie with the Toreros (24-17, 14-4 PCSC) atop the PCSC Coastal Division standings.

USD entered the weekend as the top pitching team in the PCSC with a 2.11 staff ERA and the Lions are the top-hitting team with 54 home runs but the combination of Medeiros and Waldusky proved that the Lions are not just about their offense. The offense still did its part, however, although it was the 7-8-9 hitters who did the most damage. Sophomore Olivia Alvarez, junior Kylie Ahlo, and senior Jennifer Nayudu combined to register eight of LMU's 12 hits on the day while the #6 hitter, freshman Kathryn Dutton, provided the boost in game two with a two-run homer.

The Lions' sweep means that they are one win away from the PCSC Coastal Division title and a meeting next weekend at Portland State in the PCSC Championship Series. San Diego, who entered the weekend with a two-game lead on LMU in the standings, needs to sweep both games on Sunday to clinch their first-ever division crown.

LMU 3, San Diego 1
Medeiros and USD's Kaitlin Healy each tossed seven hitters but Medeiros got the better of the matchup, forcing the Toreros into stranding eight baserunners for her 16th complete game of the season. Medeiros (15-7) pitched only one perfect inning, the second, but consistently worked her way out of situations with USD runners on to move the Lions within one game in the standings.

The Lions rode a few breaks to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Three consecutive infield singles loaded the bases as Ahlo opened the frame by beating out a grounder to short and Nayudu lined a soft liner over the pitcher that screwed away from the fielders when it landed. Sophomore Danielle Smith followed with a liner off the glove of the pitcher Healy that loaded the bases and a wild pitch brought home Ahlo with the game's first run. Senior Amy Charpentier's sacrifice fly to center was deep enough to plate Nayudu and make it 2-0. Another wild pitch moved Smith to third but USD would catch a break when junior Kelly Sarginson rifled a grounder that was destined for centerfield but hit off of Healy's foot and straight to third baseman Celeste Soto, who threw out Sarginson at first for the third out.

The Lions had a chance to add to their lead in the fifth when Nayudu singled with one out and Smith walked. A passed ball moved each into scoring position but Healy got out of the jam by getting Charpentier to fly out to left and by striking out junior Sam Fischer.

The Toreros would pull a run back in the sixth when Megan Walsh's two-out single to left scored Lauren Tomey, who had singled with one out and gone to second on a groundout. Walsh would run USD out of the inning, however, when she took a wide turn at first thinking the throw would go home, only for Ahlo to gun her down at second.

LMU would strike right back and get an insurance run as freshman Meghan Harman singled with one out in the sixth and Dutton walked, putting runners on first and second. Alvarez then reached down to poke a run-scoring double into the right-center gap to bring home Harman and chase Healy from the game. On came Jenny Lahitte, who avoided any more damage with by getting Ahlo and Nayudu to fly out.

USD had one last chance in the seventh when Kristen Gensler doubled to right with two outs and Dana Prelsnik beat out a slow roller to third. With Taylor Hensley representing the go-ahead run, she popped up in foul territory but three Lions could not reach it, keeping the at-bat arrive. But Medeiros came back on the very next pitch to end the game with her third strikeout, getting Hensley looking on the outside corner.

Just hours after walking in LMU's commencement ceremony, Nayudu led the offense with a pair of hits. Fellow recent graduate Charpentier chipped in a hit but it was the bottom of the Lions' order that did the most damage as Alvarez, Ahlo, and Nayudu combined to go 4-for-9 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Healy (10-6) took the loss, giving up all three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out four in 5 1/3 innings. She was supported by two-hit outings from Gensler, Tomey, and Walsh.

LMU 2, San Diego 1
For as good as Healy and Medeiros were in game one, Waldusky and Cassidy Coleman were better in game two. They retired the first 13 hitters of the game until Kimberlee Shimizu's one-out single up the middle in the third marked the game's first baserunner. In the end, Waldusky's two-hitter bested Coleman's five-hitter and Dutton's ninth homer of the season made the difference, bringing the teams into a tie atop the Coastal Division standings.

The bottom of LMU's lineup continued to be the catalyst as Alvarez led off the bottom of the third with a single to right and went to second on a passed ball. Ahlo then laid down what was to be a sacrifice bunt but nobody covered first, giving the Lions runners on first and third with no outs. Coleman would leave them stranded, though, coming right back to get Nayudu to ground out and Smith to strike out before Charpentier popped up to second for the third out.

Dutton would put the Lions on the board in the fourth with her ninth homer of the season. Fischer had led off the inning with walk and the Lions caught another break to escape from a possible double play when Sarginson lined out to short. Fischer had strayed way too far off the bag but Kylie Ordos' throw to first hit Fischer in the back of the head, allowing the Lion to return to first safely and avoid the inning's second out. Two batters later, Dutton connected on a 2-2 pitch to blast a two-run homer to center. It was her ninth homer of the season and sixth in PCSC play.

Shimizu's RBI single in the top of the fifth cut LMU's lead in half. Tomey had led off the inning with a walk and was sacrificed to second. With two outs, Shimizu lined a single to center. Smith came up throwing and her rifle home was on the money but pinch runner Allison Stalberger was able to avoid Dutton's tag, sliding home for USD's first run.

Coleman worked out of more trouble in the fifth and sixth. In the fifth, she stranded Ahlo at second with a leadoff double. The next inning, the Lions loaded the bases with two outs thanks to a hit batter, an error, and Alvarez's single that bounced high off the plate. However, Coleman would get Ahlo to groundout to end the inning.

Waldusky (9-7) faced just three batters over the minimum in her one-walk, five-strikeout performance. The only two hits she gave up were to Shimizu. Offensively, Alvarez and Ahlo each went 2-for-3.

Coleman (6-5) finished with a five-hitter, allowing two runs and a walk while striking out three.

The teams will return to Smith Field for two games that will decide the PCSC Coastal Division title. The action starts at 1 p.m. and will be preceded by a Senior Day ceremony to honor LMU's Amy Charpentier, Jennifer Nayudu, and Priscilla Satete.