STOCKTON, Calif. – The Loyola Marymount University Lions (20-34-1, 14-13 WCC) closed out the 2022 season on Friday after losing the elimination game to University of Portland, 10-2.
 
The Lions came out of the gates first, scoring runs in both the first and second innings. Devan Ornelas led off the ballgame with a single up the middle and promptly stole second. Benny Casillas plated the runner with a no-out RBI single up the middle of his own.
 
The Pilots tied the game in the top of the second with an RBI double from the third batter of the game before Alex Burge recorded outs on the next two batters to strand the runner in scoring position.
 
Liam Critchett knocked a one-out double down the line in the bottom of the second inning. Critchett recorded a hit in each of the three games of the tournament. Dylan Dennis followed with an RBI single on an eight-pitch at-bat to score the runner and push LMU back on top, 2-1.
 
The second-seeded Pilots scored three runs in the third inning and five in the fourth to pull ahead 8-2.
 
Matt McClure did not allow an earned run in his 3.2 innings of relief work and struck out two.
 
The Lions loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth but could not score. Portland added a two-run home run in the top of the 9^th.
 
With the loss, LMU closes out the season as one of the final four teams in the WCC Championships.