NORTHRIDGE, Calif. — Freshman Travis Friend powered LMU's offense with a pair of home runs and five RBIs, but the Lions couldn't overcome a six-run seventh inning by Cal State Northridge in a 12-7 loss at Hiegert Field on Tuesday. 
 

Friend, batting ninth in the order, launched a solo shot to left-center in the third inning to give LMU a 2-1 lead, then delivered the game's biggest swing in the fourth. With two outs and the bases loaded, Friend crushed a grand slam to left field to cap a four-run frame and pushed the Lions in front 6-2. Friend added a single and finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored. 
 

Classmate Richie Klosek, also a freshman, had a standout evening batting cleanup, going 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Klosek reached base in three of his first four at-bats and scored on Friend's grand slam after drawing a walk to load the bases. 
 

LMU took a 7-5 lead into the seventh, but the Matadors erupted for six runs against three Lions' pitchers, drawing three walks and adding a two-RBI triple from Colton Boardman to blow the game open. 
 

Quietly keeping LMU's hit column full was sophomore JD Dunn, who went 2-for-4 with a run scored. His first hit of the night was a perfectly executed drag bunt down the third base line that preceded Friend's grand slam, a savvy piece of small ball that set the stage for the biggest blow of the game.
 

Freshman Jordan Ortiz had a steady night behind the plate, going 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk.  
 

LMU rapped out 14 hits in the loss but stranded eight runners. The Lions fall to 10-28 on the season.