Box Score

The NCAA leader in hit-by-pitches entering this weekend's play, LMU (15-11, 5-2 WCC) picked an opportune time to take its lone hit-by-pitch on Friday night, drawing the hit batter with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 10th inning to earn a 6-5 victory over Gonzaga (11-14, 2-5 WCC) at LMU's Page Stadium.

Freshman Billy Wilson was at the plate and took his team-leading 10th hit-by-pitch, running LMU's total to 58 for the year. Sophomore David Fletcher led off the inning with a double off the top of the Mikos Blue Monster in left field before LMU drew a walk to Tanner Donnels, bunted the runners along and loaded the bases when Gonzaga elected to intentionally walk Kyle Dozier. With the count at 1-1, Wilson saw a fastball from right-hander David Bigelow get away and hit him in the foot, sending LMU to its second walk-off victory of the year.

Sophomore J.D. Busfield earned the victory after working around a leadoff double of his own in the top of the 10th. The right-hander had a runner at third and one out after a sacrifice bunt, but he induced a comebacker for the second out before striking out Taylor Jones to end the threat and set the table for the heroics in the bottom of the frame. Busfield moved to 2-0 with the victory, while Bigelow fell to 0-2 with the loss.

Gonzaga led 3-0 headed to the bottom of the second as it got to LMU starter Colin Welmon early. Welmon allowed a two-out solo-homer to Mitchell Gunsolus in the first inning before allowing two runs on three two-out hits in the second. Sam Brown did the bulk of the damage against Welmon, going 3-for-5 with four RBI as Gonzaga batted .385 with 5 two-out RBI on the night. Welmon's final line featured seven innings of work where he allowed five runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out five. Junior Michael Silva was the second of three pitchers used by the Lions, tossing two scoreless frames to send the game into extra innings.

Sophomores Fletcher and Ted Boeke each collected two hits in the win, with Boeke delivering his first career homer in the fourth inning as part of a 2-for-4 day with two runs scored. Fletcher went 2-for-5 with the game-winning run scored, an RBI and the double that sparked the walk-off. He has now collected 10 multi-hit games this year, including multiple hits in six of his last nine games.

LMU will continue the three-game series with Gonzaga tomorrow at 6 p.m.