LOS ANGELES, Calif., -- The Loyola Marymount softball team won its second home game of the season after beating South Dakota 5-2 Thursday afternoon.
"Our pitching staff has been steady and dependable for us," said head coach Sami Strinz Ward. "Hannah and Linnay are a nice combination! Molly put off a nice swing in her first at bat. We did some different things offensively to manufacture some more run support for our pitchers. We will continue to be creative to find ways to score."
The Lions set the tone right away, as
Molly Grumbo hit the ball out of Smith Field for the second time this season to score a homerun.
South Dakota went quietly in the second inning, while LMU kept its momentum, scoring two more runs.
Desiree Moreno hit a single and then advanced all the way to third after
Sierra Marshall advanced to first and then second base on an error.
With Marshall on second and Moreno on third,
Andrea Gonzalez singled and tallied up two RBI's after Marshall and Moreno scored unearned runs.
Both teams went scoreless in the third inning, which included a stolen second base and an attempt to steal home by Grumbo.
The Coyotes responded in the fourth inning, as they got one unearned run, their first hit and run of the game.
Up 3-1, the Lions put another two runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth, as
Maddison Flores advanced to second on a throwing error. After a sacrifice bunt by
Delanie Wisz, Flores advanced to third.
Hailey Jackson pinch ran for Moreno after she was walked. Marshall picked up an RBI after a sac bunt that sent Flores home with an unearned run, and Jackson to second. Jackson scored after a single from
Irma Sanchez, giving the Lions a 5-1 lead.
The Lions and the Coyotes went scoreless in the sixth. South Dakota scored one run in the top of the seventh, but that wasn't enough to compete with the Lions. LMU closed out the game with a 5-2 win.
Gonzalez led the team in RBIs with two while she went 1-4. Sanchez, Grumbo and Flores went 1-3, while Ehlen, Moreno and Marshall went 1-2. The Lions had seven total hits compares to the Coyote's three.
Hannah Bandimere pitched six, two hit, one run innings, earning her seventh win of the season.
Linnay Wilson came in to close the game, pitching a one hit, one run inning, earning the save.
The Lions will be back on the field this weekend, as they will host the LMU Tournament, which includes New Mexico, Oregon State and Western Carolina.
The Lions' first game of the tournament will be on Friday against Oregon State at 12:30 p.m. and will then take on Western Carolina at 2:45 p.m.
