April 26, 2008

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

Portland, OR - LMU earned a valuable split Saturday at Portland State, dropping game one 3-0 before bouncing back with a 5-0 win in game two. The Lions (34-16, 9-5 PCSC) fall into a first place tie with Saint Mary's while holding a one-game lead over the Vikings (25-25, 8-6).

Mandy Hill fired a two-hit shutout to lead Portland State (25-25, 8-6 PCSC) to the game one victory. Sophomore right-hander Melissa Dykema (13-7) pitched a two-hit shutout for the Lions in game two, as Loyola Marymount won the nightcap 5-0 to split the twinbill.

The Vikings (25-25, 8-6 PCSC) remain a game behind the Lions (34-16, 9-5 PCSC) entering Sunday's doubleheader to conclude the four-game series. Sunday's twinbill is set for noon at Erv Lind Stadium. Per PCSC rules, Loyola Marymount will be the designated home team in both games.

Saint Mary's (23-22, 9-5 PCSC) swept a doubleheader from San Diego Saturday in Moraga, Calif., winning 3-2 and 5-1, to move into a first-place tie with Loyola Marymount. Sacramento State (26-19, 8-6 PCSC) also swept Santa Clara in Sacramento, 3-2 and 5-4, to move into a third-place tie with Portland State, one-game out of first place.

Hill (14-15) started game two and took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in two innings.

Senior right-hander Tiffany Pagano (21-9) couldn't overcome six errors and five walks in suffering the loss in the first game.

Junior catcher Chelsie Tysdal hit her 11th home run of the year for the Lions in game two.

GAME 1: PORTLAND STATE 3, LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 0
Portland State scored a run in the second, fifth and sixth innings as all three runs charged to Pagano were unearned.

Jackie Heide went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a Jamee Rauch was 2-for-3 with an RBI for Portland State. Rauch gave the Vikings a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the second inning and Heide made it 3-0 with an RBI single in the sixth.

Tysdal and sophomore third baseman J.J. Hartung recorded the two hits by Loyola Marymount.

GAME 2: LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 5, PORTLAND STATE 0
Dykema carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning to pitch the Lions to the split. Freshman shortstop Arielle Wiser hit a one-out single through the left side of the infield to break up Dykema's no-hit bid.

The Lions scored two runs in the first inning on a RBI fielder's choice ground out by junior shortstop Megan Ackerman and a two-out RBI single by sophomore first baseman Christine Foley. Tysdal led-off the third inning with a home run to make it 3-0 before Latham came on in relief of Hill.

Loyola Marymount added two more runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Foley and a two-out RBI double by Hartung.

The Lions' top three hitters in the order, junior center fielder Kirsten Slouber, freshman second baseman Amy Charpentier, and sophomore catcher Darcy Pagnini all had two hits each. Foley finished 1-for-3 with two RBI.

The Vikings' only other hit was a one-out single by Brandi Scoggins in the seventh.

Latham allowed two runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out two, in five innings of relief.