LOS ANGELES – Zach Kirby threw six dominant innings, Brett Zimmerman hit a pinch-hit homerun and the Lions defeated Pacific 12-6 on Friday night at Page Stadium.  

 

The Lions earned their 20th victory in the conference with the victory over the Tigers. 

 

Kirby set the tone early, striking out a pair in the first inning. He did allow an unearned run in the first. He fanned two more in the second inning, one in the fourth and two in the fifth. With his seven punchouts, he falls one short of teammate Diego Barrera for the team lead. Kirby's day was done after six innings of work, allowing one earned run and striking out seven. 

 

He exited the game with a seven-run lead after the offense displayed some fireworks early. 

 

Diego Baqueiro added another RBI to his tally in the first inning when he ripped a line drive single through the left side to score Khadim Diaw from third. Connor Blough followed with a sacrifice fly a batter later to plate Sam Biller. Dylan Dennis notched an RBI with a fielder's choice to extend the lead and then Cole Roberts followed with a two-out base hit to plate the fourth run of the inning.  

 

The Tigers cut into the lead with a run in the third, but the Lions went right back to work in the fourth.  

 

Devan Ornelas lined a single into left field and stole second with a deceptive dive into second. The throw from the catcher beat Ornelas to second, but when the Tiger second baseman went for the tag, Ornelas wriggled out of the way mid-dive in order to avoid the tag. Benny Casillas lined an RBI single to right to score Ornelas two batters later.  

 

The Lions added four more in the sixth. Diaw led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a Biller single. Biller advanced to second when the center fielder mishandled the ball. Baqueiro came up with another single, this time through the middle to score both runners. Brett Zimmerman came in as a pinch hitter and blasted a 1-0 pitch over the right center field wall to score a pair.  

 

Ryan Towers came on in relief of Kirby in the seventh and threw up a zero before running into some trouble in the eighth. Conner Kershaw came on in relief to get out of the inning. The Tigers got four runs in the inning, but only one earned.  

 

LMU got two more in the bottom of the eighth. Defensive replacement Robbie Ayers launched a double off the blue monster to open the inning. Trey Becker followed with a walk. Zimmerman advanced both runners on an error by the second baseman. Dylan Dennis grounded into a double play to score Ayers before Ornelas dropped a perfectly placed drag bunt to push Becker across.  

 

Kershaw threw up a zero in the ninth to finish it. 

 

The Lions finish the regular season with an afternoon matchup on Saturday against the Tigers. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. (PT). Prior to the game, the Lions will celebrate the graduating seniors.