UP senior Nik Kosach has three hits as the Pilots suffer their second straight one-run loss
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Matt Carter’s two run triple in the fifth inning proved to be the difference as the Loyola Marymount Lions topped the Portland Pilots 3-2 in a West Coast Conference baseball game on Saturday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field.
Tied 1-1 in the top of the fifth, Carter drilled a triple to the right-field corner that scored Eric Farris and Michael Glomb and gave LMU a 3-1 lead.
UP sophomore Danny Meier hit a solo home run in the eighth to make it 3-2. Meier’s team-leading ninth homer of the season was a towering shot to left.
The Pilots drop their second consecutive one-run decision to the Lions and fall to 15-36 overall, 3-17 in the WCC. LMU improves to 23-32 and even its conference record at 10-10.
Portland starter Ari Ronick (3-6) surrendered three runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings. Ronick, a sophomore, struck out three. Reliever Sean Sargent recorded the final out of the seventh inning, before junior Josh Roberts pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth. Roberts didn’t allow an LMU hit.
LMU starter Daniel Macias (5-8) gave up only two Portland runs on seven hits in 7.2 innings. Reliever Brian Wilson faced one batter in the eighth and surrendered a walk, before Melvin Blackmon recorded the final out. Reliever Lee Roberts then pitched a scoreless ninth to record his third save this season and second in two days.
The Pilots got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, senior Nik Kosach doubled down the right-field line. After advancing to third base on a wild pitch, Kosach scored when Meier grounded out to the short stop.
Meier had both of Portland’s RBI’s for the game and Kosach finished with three hits in five at-bats. Junior Justin Ehlers went 2-for-4.
The Lions scored their first run in the fourth inning. Erik Johnson led off the fourth with a home run to left field.
Neither team committed an error.
Sunday’s season finale is slated for 12 p.m. UP will honor its five senior before the game, which had originally been scheduled for a 1 p.m. start. The time was changed to accommodate LMU’s travel plans.
