LOS ANGELES — LMU cut the deficit to one in the fifth inning but couldn't complete the comeback, falling to San Francisco 6-4 Friday night at Page Stadium in West Coast Conference play.

LMU (9-24, 1-7 WCC) struck first, as Noah Malone's two-run double down the left-field line in the bottom of the first scored DJ Ghiorso and Zion Williams to give the Lions an early 2-0 lead. It was Malone's second consecutive multi-RBI double, following a three-RBI effort the night prior.

San Francisco (16-12, 7-1 WCC) answered with a Trevor Harmon solo home run in the second, then took the lead for good with two unearned runs in the fourth after an error by second baseman Andrew Mhoon. Jared Lewis put the Dons up 5-2 with a two-run home run in the fifth.

LMU showed fight in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on base and two outs, a Zion Williams fielder's choice resulted in an error by Lewis at second base, allowing one earned and one unearned run to score, cutting the deficit to 5-4. But the Lions could not complete the comeback, as the Dons held on from there.

Niko Riera, who entered in relief of starter Adam Behrens (3-4) in the fifth, kept the Lions in contention, throwing 3.2 innings while allowing just one hit, striking out five and walking five, stranding multiple runners and keeping LMU within striking distance through the eighth.

But LMU's offense could not deliver the tying run. Pohorski closed things out for San Francisco, striking out four over the final two innings to earn his fourth save.

Myles Kallinger tripled to lead off the ninth for San Francisco against reliever Max Schneider and scored on a fielder's choice to provide the game's final run. Jacob Fried came on to limit the damage and struck out three of the four hitters he faced, keeping the deficit at two.

Behrens gave up ten hits and five runs, three earned, over 4.1 innings, walking one and striking out five. Gauge Lockhart started for San Francisco and was tagged for all four LMU runs before being lifted in the fifth. Hunter Holzemer (4-0) earned the win in relief, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings.

The rubber match between the Lions and the Dons will be on Saturday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (PT). The 1986 LMU College World Series team will be honored on the field before the game in a special ceremony.