MORAGA, Calif. – Sam Biller homered for the second straight game, the Lions put up seven runs in the top of the ninth and LMU claimed the series with a 12-7 victory over Saint Mary's on Saturday afternoon in Moraga, Calif.  

 

The Lions once again started early. Khadim Diaw led off the game with a walk before Sam Biller singled through the right side. Both runners moved up when Jared Thomas was hit by a pitch. Diego Baqueiro grounded into a double play, scoring Diaw from third and giving the Lions the advantage.  

 

Saint Mary's came out firing and put up three in the first to take the lead back. That lead would not last however, as LMU tied things up in the top of the second.  

 

Senior first baseman Dylan Dennis singled through the left side on the first pitch of the inning. He advanced to third when Cole Roberts doubled to deep left center. Benny Casillas followed by reaching on an error by the second baseman, allowing Dennis to score and Roberts to move up. Diaw followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Roberts and tie the game up.  

 

LMU took the lead in the third. Jared Thomas led off the inning with a single and stole second. He advanced to third on a groundout. After a pitching change, Connor Blough hit a sacrifice fly to score Thomas from third and give the Lions the lead.  

 

That lead would last until a solo homerun tied the contest in the sixth.  

 

The Lions would regain the lead in the top of the seventh. Roberts singled to center to open the frame. Casillas moved him up to second with a sacrifice bunt and Diaw advanced Roberts to third with a groundout. Biller collected his first RBI of the afternoon with a chopper up the middle, beating the throw to first.  

 

Saint Mary's once again tied the game in the bottom half of the inning.  

 

It was the Lions that put a crooked number up in the ninth that would ultimately lead to the victory.  

 

Diaw led off the ninth with a triple off the right center field wall, just missing a homerun. The homerun would come one batter later. Biller drove an 0-1 pitch over the right field wall for a two-run shot. It was his second homerun in as many days and gave him his second and third RBIs of the afternoon. After a Baqueiro single, a Blough hit by pitch and a Dennis walk, Grant Weiss singled after coming on as a defensive substitution. Baqueiro scored easily, but the left fielder bobbled the ball allowing Blough to score and allowing Dennis and Weiss to advance an extra base. Both would score on wild pitches. Casillas walked and advanced to second on the second of the two wild pitches and he would also come around to score on Diaw's second hit of the inning, an RBI single up the middle.  

 

The Gaels would score a pair in the bottom half of the inning for the final tally.  

 

The Lions needed only a pair of pitchers in Zach Kirby and Seamus Barrett.  

 

Kirby went six innings, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out eight. He struck out the side in the second and third innings.  

 

Barrett came on in the seventh and allowed three runs on four hits but earned the victory. It was his first decision of the season.  

 

The Lions clinched the series and have won every series in the West Coast Conference this season. The win marks the Lions 14th conference victory of the season, matching last season's total.