March 20, 2018 Box Score
LMU loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the 10th inning, setting the table for a walk-off sacrifice fly off the bat of Jamey Smart, as LMU (10-10) earned a 5-4 victory over Long Beach State (8-13) on Tuesday night from LMU's Page Stadium.
SMART'S TABLE SETTERS: Redshirt-freshman Harry Hibberd led off the bottom of the 10th with a walk before Billy Wilson drew a hit-by-pitch to put two men aboard. Nick Sogard, looking to bunt the runners along, put down a beautiful bunt on the ensuing play, and reached as pitcher Chris Rivera and third baseman Shaq Robinson both converged but neither fielded the bunt. Smart strolled to the plate primed to be the hero, and he lofted a fly ball to centerfield that proved just deep enough to plate Hibberd from third.
OFFENSIVE LIONS OF THE GAME: Sogard and freshman Alex Lambeau both collected three hits in the victory, with Sogard going 3-for-4 with his second homer of the year -- a solo shot to start the scoring in the bottom of the first. Lambeau turned in a 3-for-5 night that featured a double, a run scored and two RBI, including a game-tying RBI-single in the bottom of the fourth.
A PAIR OF LION COMEBACKS: After Sogard's solo blast in the first to put LMU on the board, Long Beach State managed to score two in the top of the second to take a 2-1 lead. Lambeau's RBI-single brought the Lions back even in the fourth, but the Dirtbags scored twice more in the sixth to reclaim a lead at 4-2. That cushion held into the bottom of the eighth where Kenny Oyama delivered a pinch-hit double to get the ball rolling with one out. Lambeau came up clutch once more, punching an RBI-double down the left field line to cut the deficit to one at 4-3, setting the table for a two-out game-tying RBI-triple from Wilson just inside the chalk down the right field line.
THE WINNER AND LOSER: LMU freshman Matt Voelker was credited with the win after tossing the final 2.0 scoreless innings, over which he struck out three. The victory moved Voelker to 2-1 on the season. Long Beach closer Chris Rivera was saddled with the loss after allowing one run on four hits and one walk over the final 2.0 innings of work. The run was the first allowed by Rivera this year, and the loss dropped the right-hander to 0-1 on the season.
BOX SCORE NOTES: LMU used a season-high seven pitchers in the extra-inning affair ... in addition to Sogard and Lambeau, Trevin Esquerra (2-for-5) and Brandon Shearer (2-for-4) both finished with multiple hits ... Domenic Colacchio paced the Dirtbag offense, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double and one RBI ... LMU managed 15 hits in the win, and left 15 runners on base ... all but one LMU starter had a hit in the contest, while all nine starters reached base safely ... Smart (seven games), Shearer (four games), Niko Pacheco (four games) and Lambeau (four games) all extended hit streaks in the victory ... the time of game was 3:52 and the attendance was 361.
LION NOTES: LMU began the year 3-10 for the first time since 2010 ... that 2010 team went on to win five straight and 10 of the next 11 ... the Lions are now 7-0 since the 3-10 start this year ... LMU's seven-game win streak is the longest since winning eight straight from March 24-April 4, 2017 ... the walk-off win was the first of the year for LMU, and the first since Brandon Shearer contributed a walk-off sac fly in the bottom of the 10th to bring home Wilson on April 4, 2017 against UC Riverside ... Wilson was hit by a pitch for the 46th time in his career, drawing him within three of the LMU record held by Jim McAnany (49 from 1984-87) ... Wilson's game-tying triple was also his 14th career three-bagger, as he now sits tied with Ikaika Hoopii (1993-96) and Russ Noah (1971-73) for fifth in LMU's record book ... Lambeau has now posted eight hits this year, and five of them have gone for extra bases (four doubles and a triple) ... LMU is now 2-2 in extra-inning games this year.
ON DECK: LMU will remain at home to host Pepperdine in West Coast Conference play starting on Friday at 6 p.m. The three-game WCC series is part of the PCH Cup -- the annual scorecard between LMU and Pepperdine over the course of the year. Live links to follow all the action can be found at LMULions.com.
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS: LMU still has 16 home games remaining to be played at Page Stadium. New ticket plans start at $50 for a General Admission season ticket, while Reserved season tickets can be purchased for $99. Members of LMU's Little Lions Club also get into all LMU home baseball games as part of the membership, while students, faculty and staff with a valid One Card also receive free General Admission access to every home game. Reserved season tickets behind home plate include a nameplate on your chair identifying your seat(s). Fans can also package a mini plan to include any five home games this year, with prices starting at $30. To purchase season tickets, mini plans or single-game tickets, please contact the LMU Box Office at 310-338-5466 or visit LMULions.com/tickets.
