Portland loaded the bases in the eighth and ninth inning, but couldn’t manufacture the runs for a comeback as the Loyola Marymount Lions went on to win, 3-1 today at Page Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. LMU has now won nine of its last 11 games over the Pilots dating back to last season. Portland falls to 9-42-1 overall, 5-23-1 in league play, while the Lions up their record to 25-30 overall, 12-17 in the West Coast Conference.
The Lions took the initial lead after Joe Frazee tripled to left-centerfield with one out in the bottom of the second inning. Lion sophomore Carl Stoeber followed with a single, staking LMU to a 1-0 lead.
LMU scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, aided by a Pilot error. After Jonathan Oller led off the frame with a double and Chris Pettit walked, Frazee advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt. Stoeber lifted a pitch to rightfield, but Portland’s Kory Casto dropped the ball, allowing Oller to race home. LMU freshman James Cooper followed with a groundout to plate Pettit.
Vincent Cordova held the Pilots scoreless until the eighth inning. He ran into trouble after giving up a leadoff triple to Tyler Perkins, then walked consecutive batters to load the bases. Travis Vetters struck out on the next play and LMU reliever Joshua Muecke came to finish the inning. Muecke walked Brock Griffin to force in Perkins, but pinch-hitter Mike McRae grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Muecke continued to struggle finding the strike zone in the ninth, surrendering a leadoff single to Trevor Hahn and walked Pat Geraghty and Tyler Perkins to load the bases with one out. With a full count, Rob Seffens fouled off four consecutive pitches before looking at a called third strike. Casto worked a full count, but went down swinging as the Lions went on to win, 3-1.
Portland’s Jared Adams (1-5) pitched well in defeat, allowing just two earned runs eight hits, while striking out and walking one.
LMU’s Vincent Cordova (6-6) earned the victory, allowing one run on six hits, while striking out 14 and walking three in 7.1 innings pitched. Muecke recorded the save for the Lions.
For the game, the Pilots tallied seven hits, one run scored and one RBI. Tyler Perkins recorded two hits, including a double and a triple along with one run scored. Kory Casto and teammate Trevor Hahn picked up two hits each, while Brock Griffin added a double for the day.
LMU and Portland will play their final game of the WCC season tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. On Wed., May 21, the Pilots will continue a game with Oregon State that was suspended earlier this season due to inclement weather. The start time is set for 2:00 p.m. in Corvallis, Ore.
