SEATTLE – The Loyola Marymount University Lions (6-4, 0-0 WCC) won their second straight series, taking down the Washington Huskies 3-2 in a hotly contested game at Husky Ballpark.
 
Taking the hill in the rubber match for head coach Nathan Choate was Matt McClure and he produced another solid outing in his second career start. He pitched four innings of one hit, three strikeout baseball for his second win of the year. McClure surrendered just one run in the home half of the first but settled in and was in command on the bump.
 
The Lions had to endure a one-hour rain delay to start the game, a 40-minute lightning delay after the fifth resulting in the game being shortened to eight innings.
 
LMU got on the board in the visiting half of the fifth with a pair of runs. Kenny Oyama and Julian Bury both singled and Diego Baqueiro brought in the first run with his double to center. With one run in, Alec Cargin sent a grounder to second scoring Bury from third giving the Lions a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
 
Pitching was the story of the game for LMU. They silenced the Washington bats throughout the day. The combination of Alex Burge, Diego Barrera, and Matt Voelker produced four strikeouts and gave up just one run on three hits.
 
The Lions, up a run heading into the eighth, added a little bit of insurance pushing the lead to two and it proved to be the difference. Washington managed to get a run in the home half of the eighth but Voelker put the finishing touches on the Huskies with a fly out to center that secured the win for LMU.
 
LMU continues their trek through the Pac-12 with a four-game series against Cal next weekend. The Lions and Bears will open the series on Friday, March 12 at 5:00 p.m. followed by a Saturday doubleheader starting at 2:00 p.m., culminating with the series finale on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.