LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Sophomore starter Given Kutz threw a complete game six-hitter and junior outfielder Justin Pierce hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to lift Portland past Loyola Marymount 3-2 Friday afternoon at Page Stadium. The Pilots improve to 12-18 overall and 3-7 in West Coast Conference play. LMU drops to 11-18, 4-5 in the WCC.

With Portland trailing 2-1 entering the ninth, sophomore Adam Kerr led off with a pinch hit single to right field. Pierce followed with his third round-tripper of the season to deep left field to put the Pilots on top.

Kutz (5-3) set down the LMU hitters in order in the ninth to shut the door and record his second complete game of the season. The Mount Vernon, Wash. native allowed just two runs on six hits, while walking two batters and matching a season-high with six strikeouts.

Jeff Stevens took the hard-luck loss for the Lions. Stevens (2-5) went 8.1 innings, scattering 10 hits and striking out seven, but Pierce ran the junior right-hander to spoil a quality start.

The Pilots gained an early 1-0 lead on a two-out RBI-single from senior third baseman Jason Krohn in the third, scoring shortstop Jesse Rodgers who led off with a double.

LMU tied it in the fourth as Kyle Mura doubled and scored on a single from Sean Dovel. The Lions went up 2-1 in the sixth as Mura plated James Cooper with a single to center field.

Krohn finished 3-for-5 at the plate and junior designated hitter Nik Kosach added two hits for the Pilots.

Cooper and Mura had two hits each for the Lions.

The teams will return Page Stadium on Saturday for a 1 p.m. start and then conclude the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.