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LOS ANGELES, Calif. --- The Loyola Marymount Lions scored four runs in the bottom of the second inning before holding on for a 5-2 win over the Portland Pilots in the West Coast Conference opener played on Friday night at Page Stadium. Freshman Kevin Wade had two hits to extend his career-best and team season-best hitting streak to seven games for the Pilots, who drop to 5-12 (0-1 WCC) on the year.
 
After a scoreless first inning, the Lions (10-8, 1-0 WCC) took command of the scoreboard with the four-run second. UP freshman starter Austin Kelly struck out the inning's lead-off batter, but David Edwards reached base after getting plunked. Kevin Garcia then took full advantage with an RBI double to bring home the game's first run.
 
Austin Miller followed with an RBI single, David Fletcher made it a 3-0 game with a sacrifice fly and Tommy Cheek capped the inning with a two-out, run-scoring single.
 
Kelly (1-3) would settle down from there to work 7.0 innings, and his final line included five runs on eight hits and a pair of strikeouts. The native of Happy Valley, Ore., was coming off his first career complete-game win.
 
Meanwhile LMU starter Colin Welmon (3-1) cruised on the mound. He allowed just one run on six hits, while fanning six in 8.0 innings.
 
Portland's first run came in the top of the fifth inning after LMU scored an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth. Down 5-0 and Chet Thompson on first base, Bo Cornish sent a double down the left field line that brought Thompson all the way around to score. But Welmon would then end the inning and the threat, courtesy a ground-out and a fly-out.
 
The Pilots' second run was unearned and came in the top of the ninth inning off of reliever Bret Dahlson. After an LMU error, Ryan Littlefield trotted home on a double play turned by the Lions. Dahlson would then end the game with a line-out to center field from Thompson.
 
LMU out-hit Portland 9-7.
 
UP reliever J.R. Bunda tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
 
The second game of this three-game series is set for Saturday evening at 6 p.m.