SANTA CLARA, Calif. — LMU fell to Santa Clara 10-5 on Sunday afternoon at Schott Stadium in West Coast Conference play.
The Lions (8-24, 0-6 WCC) led 5-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth but surrendered three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, unable to recover as the Broncos pulled away.
LMU starter Avery Laine allowed two runs on five hits over three innings. Alec Johnson took the loss, giving up four runs, three earned, on six hits over two innings of relief. Niko Riera surrendered three earned runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning before Caleb Sweeney came on. Zach DenDekker tossed a scoreless eighth, striking out two.
The Lions scored in four of the first five innings. Cooper Whitton drove in an unearned run with a two-out single to left in the second, and Travis Friend led off the third with a solo home run to left-center. LMU's biggest inning came in the top of the fifth. Jaxson Wall walked and Zach Wadas singled, DJ Ghiorso grounded in a run, Win Gurney doubled down the left-field line to score another, and Richie Klosek capped the rally with a two-out RBI single to center to give LMU a 5-4 lead.
The Broncos answered immediately in the bottom of the fifth with three runs off Johnson, aided by a throwing error from Wall at shortstop. Three more in the sixth off Riera put the game out of reach.
Friend finished 2-for-4 with the home run and an RBI. Ghiorso went 1-for-4 with an RBI and continued a strong stretch at the plate as the senior third baseman went 7-for-17 with four walks over the past week.
The Lions return to action Thursday when they open a three-game WCC series at Page Stadium against San Francisco.
