MALIBU, Calif. - Diego Barrera returned to form, four Lions had multi-hit games and the LMU baseball team defeated Pepperdine 8-3 on Friday afternoon.
The Lions started off quickly with three runs in the first. Khadim Diaw led off the game by reaching base in his 19th consecutive game. He was hit by a pitch for the ninth time this season.
Sam Biller followed with a sacrifice bunt that resulted in an all-safe situation when the pitcher threw the ball in the dirt attempting to get Diaw at second.
Jared Thomas singled to load the bases before
Diego Baqueiro lined a single into left to open the scoring.
Connor Blough followed with a sacrifice fly to score another and
Dylan Dennis poked a single into right to plate Thomas for the third run of the inning.
The Lions added on in the second. Diaw blasted a double off the left-center field wall to bring his hitting streak to 11 games. Biller would chop a single through the first baseman allowing Diaw to score easily from second.
Pepperdine came back with one in the second to cut into the lead.
The Lions once again scored to add some insurance in the fifth inning. Blough snuck a two-out double inside the first base line. Dennis once again came in clutch with two outs and knocked a single over the the second baseman's head to plate Blough from second.
Pepperdine got a pair back in the bottom half to close the gap.
Blough once again was right in the thick of it in the seventh inning to add on to the lead. Biller led off the inning with a single into center field before stealing second to get into scoring position. Blough dropped a 2-1 delivery into right field to extend the lead.
LMU kept the momentum going into the eighth by adding another pair of runs to extend the lead. Devan Ornelas led the inning off with a walk and advanced to second on a Cole Roberts sacrifice bunt.
Benny Casillas lined a single into right field and advanced to second when the right fielder threw to the plate. After the Waves switched pitchers, Diaw bounced a single over the third baseman's head for an RBI single. Biller followed with a safety squeeze that scored Casillas. It appeared as if Casillas was caught out on third, but the catcher threw to first to get the out and Casillas scampered home easily.
The Lions got a vintage performance from Diego Barrera on the mound. The left-hander got roughed up in his last start against the Toreros but bounced back with eight innings of solid work. He allowed only one earned run, scattered eight hits, struck out three and walked none. His season ERA dropped to 2.37 in the performance.
Merrick Baldo came in to work the ninth and loaded the bases before striking out a pair to end the game.
The Lions have officially clinched a spot in the West Coast Conference Tournament after the season ends.
LMU and Pepperdine will meet at 1:00 p.m. (PT) on Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14 to finish up the series.
