March 2, 2004

Box Score

Fresno, CA (Mar. 2) - The Loyola Marymount University baseball team continued their offensive explosion in northern California as they pounded out seventeen hits and fourteen runs to defeat Fresno State University on Tuesday night. Clint McGill led the Lions' attack in his return home by going 3-for-5 with four RBI, including a three-run homerun in the Lions' 14-2 win.

LMU (7-4) picked up right where they left off at San Jose State on Sunday and immediately put up five runs in the first inning. After Anthony Soto lined the first pitch of the game to center for a single, Joe Frazee reached first on an error and Jonathan Higashi put down a bunt single to load the bases. Fresno State (6-10) starting pitcher Rudy Quinonez (1-4) then faced LMU's hottest hitter, Kyle Mura, and immediately gave up a two-run single to left field scoring Soto and Frazee. After a sacrifice bunt by James Cooper, McGill hit the first pitch he saw to left for a RBI single. Brady Koch capped off the Lions' five-run first by doubling in Mura and McGill with a shot down the right field line.

In the fourth inning, LMU blew the game wide open with a six spot. Billy Lockin led off with a double to right and came in to score when Joe Frazee dropped down a bunt single. Fresno State second baseman Ryan Haag tried to pickoff Lockin rounding third, but threw wildly and allowed both runners to advance a base. Red-hot Higashi and Mura drew walks to load the bases for Cooper. The Lions' right fielder would line a two-run double into the left center field gap to make the score 8-0. That's when McGill would come up and deliver the big blow of the game in front of his hometown crowd, a line shot three-run blast over the wall in left, bringing the score to 11-0.

That was all the run support starting pitcher Jeff Stevens (1-0) would need, as he would cruise through five innings of work. Stevens shutout the powerful Bulldog offense while scattering just five hits and striking out three. The bullpen of Daniel Macias, Erik Reyes, Gabriel Bueno, and Jackson Creighton would work the final four innings to nail down LMU's second straight victory.

The Lion offensive display was paced by Mura who went 4-for-4 with four singles and three RBI. Soto, Lockin, and Higashi all had two hits apiece. After picking up the 11-0 win over San Jose State on Sunday, the Lions have outscored their opponents 25-2 in the last 18 innings.

The Lions return home this weekend to open up West Coast Conference play against the San Diego Toreros this Friday at Page Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (PST). All three games of the series can be heard on the Lions Audio Network at www.LMULions.com.

- GO LIONS -