March 19, 2011

Northern Colorado Box Score
Canisius Box Score
Bethune-Cookman Box Score

Saturday highlights from Lions' All-Access

LOS ANGELES - LMU swept its first tripleheader since March 13, 1999, beating Northern Colorado, Canisius, and Bethune-Cookman on the final day of the 2011 Marina International Hotel Showcase at Smith Field. The Lions (12-16) hit six home runs on the day in downing Northern Colorado 7-4, Canisius 6-4, and Bethune-Cookman 9-2.

After struggling offensively over the tournament's first four days, the Lions roared back with 35 hits over the three games Saturday to post their second three-game winning streak of the season. Sophomore Olivia Alvarez had a monster day, collecting seven hits in 11 at-bats while doubling twice and homering twice. Juniors Sam Fischer and Kelly Sarginson each also homered twice and Sarginson capped the day with her first career four-hit game and grand slam.

LMU 7, Northern Colorado 4
Six different Lions had at least two hits and LMU banged out 15 hits to score in each of the second through fifth innings to overcome an early deficit against the Bears (2-22). Fischer led the way with her second three-hit game of the year, which included her 30th career home run, putting her into sole possession of third place on LMU's record charts.

Playing as the visiting team, the Lions jumped on top in the second when sophomore Danielle Smith, who was 2-for-5 in the game, singled home senior Jennifer Nayudu, who had doubled earlier in the inning. Northern Colorado would bounce back in the bottom of the frame, putting together five straight singles to start the inning to pull ahead 2-1. However, the Bears would run themselves into a pair of outs as a runner left earlier and another was thrown out trying to steal.

LMU capitalized by scoring six unanswered runs to take a commanding lead. A three-run third opened with back-to-back singles from senior Amy Charpentier and Fischer, who moved up on a sacrifice bunt. Junior Kylie Ahlo pulled the Lions level with an RBI single up the middle, marking the end of the day for Bear starter Jamie Juelfs. Megan Wilkinson came on in relief and gave up a sacrifice fly to freshman Meghan Harman that put LMU ahead. Freshman Samantha Nelson added another run with a double down the leftfield line.

Fischer's two-out homer in the fourth, a solo shot that was her third of the year and second in as many games, extended the Lions' lead to 5-2 and sophomore Olivia Alvarez made it 7-2 in the fifth with her first homer of the season, a two-run shot to center.

That was enough of a cushion for sophomore Dana Waldusky (3-5) to pick up the win, although she ran into trouble in the seventh after giving up a leadoff homer to Alex Neely and a double to Melanie Buol. On came sophomore Molly Medeiros, who earned her first save of the year by leaving the tying run at the plate.

Waldusky went six innings for the win, allowing four runs on eight hits. Medeiros cleaned things up with an inning of relief.

In addition to Fischer's three-hit day, Smith had her team-leading 10th multi-hit game with a 2-for-5 effort. Nayudu, Nelson, Alvarez, and Ahlo each also had a pair of hits.

LMU 6, Canisius 4
Junior Kelly Sarginson's team-leading sixth home run of the year helped LMU overturn a 1-0 deficit against the Golden Griffins (8-4) and lift freshman Stevie Goldstein to her first collegiate win. Fischer homered for the third straight game to as part of a four-run fifth and Alvarez had her second three-hit performance of the season.

Canisius had taken a 1-0 lead in the second on a trio of singles but LMU came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third as Sarginson continued to come through with two outs. Her two-run homer to left-center was her 12th RBI this season with two outs and her 19th career home run, elevating her to eighth place on the school's career list.

Canisius came back to tie it in the top of the fifth on Lizzy Gatto's RBI single through the left side after Lauren Hope and Katie Medina had also singled. But freshman Stevie Goldstein got out of a two-on jam to keep the teams knotted at two. It would not stay that way for long, though, as Fischer led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo shot to left. The Lions would bat around in the frame, with two walks either side of Alvarez's second double of the game loading the bases. Nelson brought in another run with an infield single to third and, after the Lions had the second out of the inning recorded at the plate on an infield grounder, Smith drove home two more runs, dropping a single inside the leftfield line to make it 6-2 and chase Canisius starter Amanda Baun.

Goldstein (1-4) scattered 13 hits in gaining her first win. She allowed four runs (two earned) in her third complete game of the year. Alvarez had two doubles among her three hits and Fischer went 2-for-4.

LMU 9, Bethune-Cookman 2
Alvarez's hot day continued into the afternoon as she drove in three of LMU's first four runs against the Wildcats (11-15). Alvarez's RBI single in the first gave the Lions a 2-0 lead and she added a two-run opposite-field homer in the third. As Alvarez got things going at the start, Sarginson finished things off at the end, posting her first career four-hit game and driving in five runs, including a grand slam in the sixth that blew the game open.

Playing again as the visiting team, LMU took a 2-0 lead in the first on RBI singles by Sarginson and Alvarez. BCU cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first on a pair of doubles by Ashton Hinds and Allison Garcia but Alvarez increased LMU's lead in the third by blasting her second home run of the day over the rightfield fence after Sarginson had singled. Another run was added in the fourth when a Wildcat error prolonged the Lions' at-bat, leading to Charpentier delivereing a sacrifice fly that plated Nelson, who had led off with a bunt single.

Not to be overlooked was Sarginson's four-hit performance. Following her RBI single in the first, she singled in the third and fifth innings before coming up with the bases loaded in the sixth. The Lions had put runners on second and third with two outs thanks to a walk by Nayudu, bunt single by Smith, and sacrifice bunt. Bethune-Cookman then chose to intentionally walk Fischer, who was 0-for-3 in the game, to face Sarginson, who was 3-for-3. Sarginson showed the Wildcats the error of their ways, launching the first pitch from Shanel Tolbert over the centerfield fence to turn a 5-1 lead into 9-1.

Sophomore Molly Medeiros improved to 6-4 with the win, giving up two earned runs on six hits in her sixth complete game of the season. Smith had her fifth two-hit performance in the last six games with a 2-for-4 day at the top of the order and Alvarez was 2-for-3 with three RBI to finish the day 7-for-11.

LMU will play three single games this week with the first two at home. The Lions will host Ohio State at 1 p.m. on Tuesday and Canisius at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, then travel to #8 UCLA on Sunday at 2 p.m.

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