LOS ANGELES – Zion Williams and Nate Savoie both hit clutch doubles, the Lions executed a squeeze play, the LMU bullpen put on a masterful performance and clinched a series victory with a 5-4 victory over San Diego on Sunday afternoon at Page Stadium in Los Angeles.  

 

Avery Laine put on a gritty performance on the mound, going four innings and giving up three runs. The big right-hander was hit fairly hard but limited the damage by inducing some flyouts and getting some help from the defense.  

 

The first inning ended with a bang when a perfect relay ended with an out at the plate. Lion-nemesis Austin Smith floated a double down the left field line with a runner on first. Williams got to the ball quickly and threw a dart to the cutoff man Cam Hassert. Hassert took a quick turn and made a precision throw to the dish to cut the runner off at home plate. The play stood under a review from San Diego head coach Brock Ungricht. 

 

The second inning ended similarly. With a run in already and a runner on second base, the Lions prevented another run with an out at the plate. DJ Ghiorso ranged to his right on a softly hit ground ball through the right side of the infield. He fielded the ball sliding to his left into the outfield, spun and fired home rather than chancing it at first base. The throw home was right on target and caught the runner by ten feet. After a brief rundown, the Lions were out of the inning with minimal damage done. 

 

The Toreros were up 2-0 when the Lions pushed their first run across. The Lions put together three straight two-out hits in the third to open the scoring. Ghiorso started the rally with a ground ball through the left side. Hassert followed by dropping one into center field before Beau Ankeney drilled a liner through the left side to score Ghiorso easily.  

 

San Diego would get one more in the third inning but that would be Laine's final inning before the bullpen took over and dominated the Torero batters for the middle and late innings.  

 

Sam Brady took over for the fifth inning and threw two scoreless innings, allowed two hits and struck out one batter with an absolutely filthy back foot curveball.  

 

The Lions would get Laine off the hook for the loss by tying the game up in the sixth inning. The Lions strung together just enough to get a pair across, with Ankeney scoring on a single from Savoie before Williams evened the score up. Williams was down 1-2 in the count and stretched for a breaking ball off the plate and clanged a double off the blue monster to plate another.  

 

The Lions took the lead in the seventh and did not relinquish it. 

 

With two outs, Ankeney walked and advanced to second on Devan Ornelas's bunt single. Savoie stepped up to the plate and showed a maturity beyond his years as he swung through the first pitch before taking a close ball. He ripped the next pitch down the left field line as the LMU faithful held their collective breath. The ball careened off the blue monster, just to the fair side of painted yellow foul line. He motored into second as Ankeney scored easily. 

 

The Lions added an insurance run by executing a safety squeeze in the eighth. Ayers led the inning off with his second hit by pitch of the game. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from JD Dunn and moved to third when Kolton Freeman ripped a single through the left side. Ghiorso followed with a well-executed squeeze, bunting the ball away from the pitcher and to the charging first baseman. With Ayers getting a good jump, they opted for the out at first and the Lions led by two.  

 

That run proved to be important as the Toreros pushed one across in the ninth before stranding runners at first and third to end the game.  

 

Cole Stucky earned the win with 2.2 innings of one-run ball in relief of Brady. He allowed his first run of the season in the ninth but was extremely effective in his longest appearance of the season. Zack Mack came in with runners on first and third to record the final out and he did not mess around. The big right-hander threw three straight fastballs, hitting 95 on the final pitch to record the strikeout and send the Lions into celebration mode.  

 

It is a good omen that the Lions took two of three from the defending WCC regular season and tournament champions. On Friday, LMU used the homerun to put up some gaudy numbers. On Sunday, it was the resilience with two-outs and scraping runs across when possible.  

 

The Lions will be back in action against UCLA on Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. (PT) at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Westwood, Calif.  

 

They will then travel to Portland to face the Pilots in the second weekend of WCC play.