LOS ANGELES - In a night that belonged mostly to USC, LMU catcher Jake Lyall gave Lions fans a moment they won't soon forget. 
 

Lyall crushed the first home run of his collegiate career, a three-run blast in the fourth inning, to pace a scrappy LMU effort that fell short against the Trojans, 14-4, Wednesday night at Dedeaux Field. It was one of the few blemishes on an otherwise clean USC performance, but for the Lions, Lyall's shot off the right-hander Sekany was a milestone worth savoring. 
 

The sophomore didn't stop there. Working behind the plate in a game that tested LMU's pitching staff early and often, Lyall threw out two baserunners attempting to advance, displaying the kind of arm strength and instincts that will have Lions coaches excited about what's ahead. He finished 1-for-2 with three RBI, a walk, seven putouts, and two assists without an error. 
 

Freshman second baseman Andrew Mhoon also gave LMU reason for optimism, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in just his fourth collegiate game. The young infielder is 7-for-15 to begin the season and has looked composed beyond his years at the plate, providing a dependable presence in the heart of a lineup that is still finding its identity. 
 

The Lions did draw six walks and showed flashes of patience at the dish, putting together a three-run fourth inning that demonstrated what this offense can do when things click. Senior DJ Ghiorso chipped in a 3-for-4 effort with a double, giving LMU three players with notable contributions on the night. 
 

USC, now 4-0, got the better of four LMU pitchers and capitalized on two Lions errors to pull away late. But for an LMU club sitting at 1-3 and still shaking off early-season rust, Wednesday night offered genuine building blocks; a breakthrough moment for Lyall, continued growth from Mhoon, and enough competitive flashes to suggest better days are ahead for the Lions.