Lions Earn 4-1 Victory Over Long Beach State

Lions Earn 4-1 Victory Over Long Beach State
LMU scored three in the fourth inning to back a strong start from Patrick McGrath.

	Junior Patrick McGrath tossed 5.2 innings to earn the victory.

March 12, 2013

Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -

STORY BY ETHAN DAVIS
Led by Patrick McGrath's strong pitching performance the LMU Lions (7-10) were able to send the Dirtbags (6-11) back to Long Beach with the 4-1 loss. Heading into the bottom of the fourth with McGrath pitching a shutout, Cullen Mahoney and Co. provided all the support McGrath would need to pick up his first win of the 2013 season.

Leading off the bottom of the fourth with a walk, Mahoney stole second and eventually scored on Tanner Donnels' groundout back to the pitcher. With Tommy Cheek on first, Joey Boney doubled down the left field line to drive in Cheek for the second run of the game. Zac Fujimoto's single to right would make the score 3-0 after four.

With the first two Long Beach State batters both hitting doubles to open the fifth, McGrath dug deep and held the Dirtbags to one run. To provide just a little more breathing room, Matt Lowenstein drove in Fujimoto after he had reached on a single and stole second in the seventh.

With two runners on base and McGrath in pain after being hit on the arm by a comebacker, head coach Jason Gill went to the bullpen whom promptly proceeded to pick up where McGrath left off. Pitching a combined 3.1 innings, Carlos Fuentes, Brandon Horth, and Bret Dahlson put up zeroes across the board.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Dahlson put a nail in the Dirtbags coffin by making a diving catch off the mound to earn his second save of the year.

The Lions will return to action on Friday at 3 p.m. when they travel to Malibu, Calif. to open WCC play at Pepperdine.

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