March 31, 2012

Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The LMU baseball team (10-12, 2-0 WCC) won a pitcher's duel on Saturday behind freshman Trevor Megill, beating Saint Mary's (14-11, 1-4 WCC) by a count of 2-1 to earn a series victory. LMU broke through with two runs in the seventh before Saint Mary's made things interesting with one in the top of the ninth.

Megill was outstanding for LMU, going the seven shutout and not walking a batter while striking out five to improve to 2-4. Junior Aaron Griffin dealt one scoreless inning of relief before Bret Dahlson closed the door in the ninth to earn his second save.

Saint Mary's starter Martin Agosta was also stellar on Saturday, lasting seven innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on eight hits and two walks while striking out 10. With the loss, Agosta fell to 4-1. Ryan Brockett was the lone reliever used for SMC, tossing a scoreless eighth inning.

Senior Alex Guthrie led the Lion offense, going 2-for-3 with a double and a RBI out of the ninth spot in the order. Mitchell Esser and Scott Harkin scored the lone runs, with Esser going 1-for-3 with a RBI-double.

Patrick Wisdom did the damage for Saint Mary's in the ninth, belting a home run over the wall in left centerfield for his lone hit of the day. Chris Murphy and Brendan Kalfus each had two hits in the loss.

Both teams had early chances but were unable to plate a run, as Matt Lowenstein was thrown out at third trying to take an extra base on a single from Cullen Mahoney in the bottom of the first. Saint Mary's threatened in the second, putting runners at second and third with two out, as Murphy singled and moved to third base on a double from Kalfus into the left field corner. Megill did well to escape the jam on the ensuing play, inducing a weak grounder to third base to end the frame.

A one-out double from Guthrie handed LMU its second solid chance of the day in the third, but Agosta managed to keep LMU off the board once again in the frame. Lowenstein extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single into the hole at shortstop on the ensuing play, but Guthrie was unable to advance to third. With the pressure on, Agosta got tough, getting Zac Fujimoto to line out softly to third base and Mahoney to fly out to left centerfield to strand the two Lion runners.

The Gaels had their second shot at a run in the sixth after getting a leadoff double from Cole Norton down the left field line. Megill worked around the leadoff double, striking out Troy Channing before inducing a fly ball to right centerfield that moved the runner up 90 feet. Megill stranded the runner at third base on the ensuing play, getting Wisdom to pop up to Plaia behind the plate to end the threat.

LMU finally broke the stalemate in the seventh, plating a pair of runs to take a 2-0 lead. Scott Harkin got the inning going with a double into left field before Esser failed to get the bunt down en route to working the count to 2-2. Fortunately for the freshman, he got a pitch to hit on that count and laced it into the gap in left centerfield to plate the run. The throw back in from Norton sailed over the cutoff man and wide of second base, allowing Esser to take third on the error. Guthrie plated the second run of the game on the ensuing play, blooping a single into shallow left field and off the glove of a sliding Norton to bring home Esser. Agosta did well to limit the damage from there, striking out Lowenstein and getting Fujimoto on a bunt for the second out. After intentionally walking Mahoney, Agosta punched out Kyle Raubinger to end the frame.

With Dahlson on the mound, Saint Mary's made things interesting in the ninth inning as Wisdom belted his fourth home run of the season with one out to cut the deficit to one run. After a popped-up bunt for the second out, Kalfus kept the inning alive with a single back up the middle to bring Toby DeMello to the plate. The big right-handed hitter worked a full count against Dahlson, but the closer got him swinging to end the game and lock up the save.

LMU and Saint Mary's will conclude the three-game series tomorrow with a game at 1 p.m. as the Lions go for the sweep.