March 6, 2009

Box Score

Los Angeles - Back at Smith Field for its second home tournament of the season, LMU split its Friday games at the Courtyard by Marriott L.A. Westside Tournament. The Lions (10-11) opened the day with a narrow 6-5 defeat to Utah Valley before bouncing back with a 5-3 win over Seattle.

Freshman Sam Fischer had a big day for the Lions, going a combined 5-for-8 with four RBI and four runs scored in the two games. It was a day of firsts for Fischer against Utah Valley, as she registered her first career two-homer game while making her first career start at pitcher.

Fischer's lead-off home run tie the game at 1-1 in the third and freshman Brittany Pereda added her first career round-tripper in the fourth, a solo shot that put LMU ahead 2-1. Fischer was unable to hold the lead, giving up the tying run in the fifth and a two-run homer in the sixth before giving way to junior Melissa Dykema, who conceded another two-run shot in the seventh as the Wolverines went up 6-2. LMU rallied in the seventh, putting two runners on with one out for Fischer, who tried to pull the Lions back with a three-run home run. Later in the inning, the Lions would bring the tying run to the plate but UVU got out of the jam for the win.

Fischer finished 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored at the plate, while going 6 1/3 innings in the circle. She allowed four runs on seven hits before Dykema came on in relief.

LMU rallied in game two, taking a 1-0 lead on senior Megan Ackerman's RBI single in the first. Seattle would tie the game up at one but the Lions regained control on junior Darcy Pagnini's two-run single in the second. It would stay that way until the fifth, when Fischer led off with a single and Pagnini reached on an error. Both would come around on freshman Kelly Sarginson's single. Those would prove to be vital runs as the Redhawks scored single runs in the sixth and seventh but left the tying run at the plate.

The Lions return to the field Saturday at 2 p.m. against Saint Mary's, then face Seattle again Sunday at 2 p.m.

- GO LIONS -