LOS ANGELES— The LMU softball team earned a split on Saturday afternoon against the Saint Mary's Gaels, taking the opener 9–6 before dropping a tight second game, 6–5.

Game one:

The Gaels jumped out to an early lead, plating two runs in the opening frame. A solo home run in the fifth pushed their advantage to 3–0, but the Lions stayed within reach thanks to strong defensive play and scattered hits in the early innings.

LMU cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth when Meeya Johnson singled and later came around to score on a triple down the right field line by Sydney Poole, making it 3–1.

After SMC added two more runs at the top of the sixth, the Lions responded with a massive rally. It began with a double from Jasmine Sofowora, followed by a single from Izzy Jamgotchian to put runners at the corners. Sakora Harvell drove in Sofowora and shortly after, Analiah Lummus added an RBI to trim the deficit to 5–3.

The Lions weren't done. Justine Lambert delivered an RBI with the bases loaded, and Arianna Jaurequi followed with a run-scoring grounder to tie the game. 

Then came the biggest swing of the game happened. Sofowora stepped back in and launched a three-run homer, capping a remarkable eight-run inning and giving LMU a 9–5 lead.

The Gaels scored one more in the seventh, but Lindsay O'Dell came on in relief and closed the door, securing the win for the Lions.

Game two:

SMC got on the board first, taking an early 4–0 lead in the first inning. The Lions turned to Jessica Hubbard in the circle midway through the first to stop the bleeding, and she settled in with three scoreless innings of relief.

LMU got on the board in the bottom of the second when Emma Gutierrez drove in a run with a sacrifice fly following a pair of walks and a fielding miscue by SMC. The Gaels responded with solo home runs in the fourth and fifth innings to stretch their lead to 6–1.

The Lions offense came alive in the sixth when Arianna Jaurequi led off the frame with a solo shot, followed by a single from Sofowora. Then, Jamgotchian delivered a two-run homer to pull LMU within two. Hits from Harvell and Lummus kept the pressure on, but the Lions couldn't push across any more in the inning.

LMU made things interesting again in the seventh when Sydney Poole led off with a single and later scored on Sofowora's RBI, bringing the Lions within one. Jamgotchian added her third hit of the day, but the tying run was left stranded at second as the game ended.
 
Donate Today:
Fans interested in making a contribution to the Lions Athletic Fund can do so by clicking here. Your gift will help provide a transformational student-athlete experience athletically, academically, and culturally for every LMU student-athlete. We appreciate your continued support of LMU Athletics. 
 
Follow Along With The Action:
For complete coverage of Loyola Marymount University athletics, visit LMULions.com. We encourage you to follow along with all the action on social media as well. Follow along by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram.