MORAGA, Calif. - Sam Biller hit a towering solo homerun in the top of the tenth inning to give the Lions the lead in an eventual 3-2 victory over Saint Mary's on Friday afternoon in Moraga, Calif. 

 

Diego Barrera allowed a pair of runs over seven innings of work before turning the ball over to Merrick Baldo for the remainder of the game.  

 

Barrera allowed seven hits and walked two over his seven innings of work. He punched out seven Gaels on the afternoon and took a hard-fought no decision. The Gaels loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, but Barrera got a shallow fly out to right field and struck out the following hitter to strand all three runners. 

 

The Lions offense started early, briefly stalled, reignited and then ended things in the tenth. 

 

Khadim Diaw led off the first with a single. He stole second and then scored on a two-out single from Diego Baqueiro.  

 

After falling behind in the second, the Lions knotted the game up in the sixth. Biller walked to open the inning. Jared Thomas followed up with a single that deflected off the pitcher into left field, advancing Biller to third. Baqueiro hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Biller from third.  

 

The game would remain tied at two until the top of the tenth when Biller blasted a 1-1 pitch over the right field wall to send the Lion faithful into a frenzy.  

 

Baldo followed up with a one, two, three inning to claim the win.  

 

The Lions remain well in first place in the West Coast Conference, increasing their lead over the Gaels to four games. Portland and Gonzaga face off against each other in the other matchup of second place teams. 

 

LMU and Saint Mary's meet again tomorrow, April 22 with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. (PT).