The Loyola Marymount Lions (28-22, 14-11 WCC) dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker on Friday night to Gonzaga as the offense managed four hits off Bulldog pitching while senior Codie Paiva's first complete game of the season garners him the hard luck loss.
 
Paiva was spectacular on the hill for head coach Jason Gill's Lions as he managed to scatter six hits over nine innings of work, striking out six while not allowing any free passes but was ultimately done in by a solo home run he surrendered to the Bulldogs in the seventh. 
 
The Lions had their opportunities to put runs on the board in the home half of the second as Trevin Esquerra singled to left center then stole second after a Steven Chavez strike out. With Esquerra in scoring position Alex Lambeau popped up to third base and ended one of LMU's three chances on the night.
 
In the bottom of the third Dylan Hirsch got aboard on a single, was sacrificed over to second by Cooper Uhl and ultimately made it to third but after a Nick Sogard groundout to second followed by a Kenny Oyama groundout to first the Lions still saw themselves without a run. 
 
The last scoring opportunity for the Lions came in the home half of the eighth when Chavez sent a shot off the Blue Monster for an inning opening double. Gill replaced Chavez with pinch runner Ryan Ruley who was sacrificed over to third and with two chances to bring in the tying run the Lions' Ethan Patrick struck out swinging followed by Uhl's groundout to first base.
 
Senior Brandon Shearer hit a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth to give the Lions some hope for a rally but Esquerra struck out swinging for the third out ending the game.
 
The Lions will now look to Josh Agnew to pick up a victory and keep their postseason chances alive when he takes the hill against the Bulldogs Mac Lardner with first pitch slated for 6:00 p.m.