PORTLAND, Ore. --- Tied 3-3 in the seventh inning, the Loyola Marymount Lions scored on a balk and then held on for a 4-3 victory against the Portland Pilots in a West Coast Conference baseball game Friday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field. Both teams scored three runs in the first inning.

In the seventh, Portland starter Blaine Hardy (2-4) recorded an out before walking two Lions. Senior Joe Jones then replaced Hardy on the hill and was called for two balks, allowing Michael Glomb to score and giving LMU the 4-3 lead.

The Pilots, who out-hit the Lions 9-5, drop their second straight game and fall to 15-35 on the season and 3-16 in the conference. LMU snaps a five-game losing skid to improve to 22-32 (9-10 WCC).

The Lions opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the first inning off of Hardy. After a 30 minute rain delay, the Lions had runners on the corners with one out. DeAndre Miller scored the game’s first run on a throwing error by UP catcher Nik Kosach, his first error in 162 chances this season. Sean Dovel then drove in a run to with a double to the left-field corner and Justin Bunkis plated one with a single to center.

Portland responded with three tallies of its own in the bottom of the first. With two outs, sophomore Danny Meier singled and senior Matthew Peters doubled to give UP runners on second and third. Senior Travis Vetters then scored both with a single to right field.

Senior Nik Kosach then drilled a double off the right-field wall that scored Vetters and tied the game at 3-3.

Hardy, a freshman left-hander, then settled in and retired 11 straight Lions. Hardy gave up four runs on four hits, while striking out four in 6.1 innings. Jones allowed one hit and struck out one in 2.2 innings of relief.

LMU starter Brad Meyers (8-4) pitched 7.2 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and striking out a career-high seven.

LMU’s Melvin Blackmon recorded an out in the eighth and Lee Roberts pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save this season.

Vetters and Meier each had two hits for Portland.

The Pilots and Lions next play on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Joe Etzel Field.

Sunday’s season finale is slated for 12 p.m. UP will honor its six senior before the game, which had originally been scheduled for 1 p.m. start. The time was changed to accommodate LMU’s travel plans.