PORTLAND, Ore. --- After seven innings of scoreless baseball, the Loyola Marymount Lions scored three runs in the eighth and another in the ninth to claim a 4-0 win over the Portland Pilots in a West Coast Conference game played on Friday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field. The loss overshadows another gem by Portland's Brandon Snyder, who ran his consecutive scoreless inning streak to 15.2 innings.
 
Snyder got his first start of the year and he worked 7.0 solid innings. The senior lefty surrendered just five hits while striking out three. This came on the heels of a seven-inning, one-hit outing against Gonzaga last Friday.
 
The Lions (26-16, 12-7 WCC) though would capitalize when the Pilots went to the bullpen to begin the top of the eighth. Carl Snaring came in and retired two outs before a walk gave the Lions runners on first and second. Sean Watkins then came through with a clutch single, his third hit of the game, which scored David Edwards from second base. Ted Boeke followed with an identical single through the left side infield, which scored two and gave the Lions all the runs they'd need.
 
David Fletcher added a little insurance with a solo home run off of reliever Ryan Barr in the top of the ninth.
 
The Pilots (9-34, 4-15 WCC) left seven runners stranded on base, which included leaving the bases loaded in the third inning. After Kevin Wade sent a well-hit ball down the right field line that was foul by about two inches, LMU's Colin Welmon registered an inning-ending K.
 
Welmon (4-5) would go the distance for his first complete-game shutout of the year. He matched Snyder pitch for pitch, yielding six hits and two walks, while fanning eight.
 
Snaring (1-1), who has been solid this season, takes the loss.
 
The Pilots were also strong defensively as third baseman Cody Lenahan, center fielder Grant Taylor and Wade at first base each made more than one impressive play. Snyder also provided some defense by making a diving play on a bunt in the seventh inning.
 
Taylor had two of Portland's six hits.
 
Game two of this three-game series is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. Portland will send Kurt Yinger to the mound, while LMU counters with Trevor Megill.