LOS ANGELES – For the first time since joining the West Coast Conference for softball, LMU celebrated a conference championship. The 4-2 victory over Santa Clara clinched LMU a co-championship with BYU, but by nature of winning the season series over the Cougars, LMU will receive the automatic bid into the 2022 NCAA Championship.
 
LMU won the WISL Championship in 1996, 1999, and 2000, and claimed three PCSC conference championships in 2003, 2005, and 2007. The Lions appeared in the 2005 and 2007 NCAA Tournaments.
 
The Lions jumped ahead early, scoring two runs in the first inning and two runs in the second. Georgia Blair and Alyssa Daniell each hit RBI singles in the opening frame to give LMU a 2-0 lead. The following inning, Megan Dedrick singled in a pair of runs with a two-RBI single to left center.
 
Santa Clara scored on a wild pitch in the sixth inning then added an RBI groundout in the seventh inning. 
 
Jenna Perez pitched six-plus innings and allowed three hits and the two runs, while picking up eight strikeouts. Logan Caymol closed it out in relief with no hits in the seventh to clinch the win.
 
LMU will await the selection show on Sunday which will tell the Lions where the team will play in regionals. The telecast will begin at 4:00 PM on ESPN2.