Box Score

Playing its final non-conference game of the regular season, LMU (34-16) posted its sixth shutout of the year on Wednesday night, blanking Oregon (26-22), 4-0, from PK Park in Eugene, Ore.

Freshman Giuseppe Benedetti got the start and went the first 5.0+ innings, allowing five hits and one walk with two strikeouts to improve to 4-0. Codie Paiva continued the shutout bid with 3.0 scoreless frames and four punchouts before Braydon Salzman retired the side in the ninth to seal the victory.

Offensively, LMU scored three runs in the first inning and added one final tally in the eighth. Phil Caulfield and Niko Decolati each finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, as the duo led off the first with singles. Following a bunt single from Spencer Erdman to load the bases, Jamey Smart hit into a fielder's choice, but Oregon failed to get an out, as the throw from Morgan McCullough at second sailed wide of the bag and allowed both Caulfield and Decolati to score. Brandon Shearer followed later in the inning with an RBI-groundout, extending the lead to 3-0.

The single from Erdman extended his hit streak to 18 games, as he finished 1-for-4 hitting out of the third spot in the order.

Oregon used a true staff day on Wednesday, eventually sending eight pitchers to the mound, but neither team was able to push any runs across in the second through seventh. LMU broke that string in the eighth as Steven Chavez worked Brac Warren for a one-out walk after a lengthy battle before being replaced by Dylan Hirsch on the bases. Hirsch stole second and moved to third on a ground ball, setting the table for a two-out RBI-single from Jimmy Hill to run the tally to its eventual final at 4-0.

LMU will return to action on Friday at 6 p.m. when it opens a three-game West Coast Conference series at Portland.