LOS ANGELES – The Loyola Marymount University Lions (18-27-1, 13-9 WCC) opened the PCH Cup with a 4-3 win over Pepperdine on Friday night.
 
The Lions benefited from two standout pitching performances, once from starter Diego Barrera and the other from reliever Owen Hackman.
 
Barrera went six strong innings until allowing a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. The lefty threw 115 pitches, with 85 for strikes, and left the game with eight strikeouts.

Hackman came to the rescue with two on and nobody out in the seventh to preserve the 4-3 lead. The reliever struck out the side and did not allow the go-ahead runs to advance on the base path. Hackman allowed just one hit over his three innings of work to pick up the save.
 
Brett Zimmerman gave LMU the early lead, launching a solo shot in the second inning.
 
After Pepperdine tied the score in the top of the fifth, the Lions erupted for a three-run sixth. Diego Baqueiro doubled early in the inning then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Grant Weiss reached on a fielding error to first and allowed the go-ahead run to score. After Zimmerman walked back-to-back RBI singles to left from Robbie Ayers and Dylan Dennis gave LMU a 4-1 cushion.

The Waves scored two in the top of the seventh off Barrera but were never able to tie the game back up.
 
LMU opened the series with a win and will face the Waves again on Saturday at 6:00 PM and then on Sunday at 1:00 PM.