Diamond Dons Fall to Loyola Marymount 12-3
April 9, 2009
(Los Angeles, CA) - San Francisco baseball dropped a 12-3 decision to Loyola Marymount on Thursday afternoon in West Coast Conference action at Page Stadium. The Dons (15-19, 3-4 WCC) were out hit in the 17-8, and managed just one extra base hit, junior catcher Ryan Lipkin's homerun in the fourth.
USF started the scoring and took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning. Junior shortstop Derek Poppert singled to lead off the frame, and Lipkin smashed his second homerun of the season, a two-run shot to left field. Senior right-fielder Drew Johnson followed with a walk and moved to second on freshman designated hitter Nik Balog single to center. Johnson then scored on senior third baseman Dane Braunecker's infield single. But that would be all the Dons could get as the Lions (21-14, 6-1 WCC) scored 12 unanswered runs over the next five innings.
Sophomore left-hander Matt Lujan (2-5) took the loss, giving up seven runs off ten hits and four walks in 5.2 innings. Johnson and Braunecker led the Dons with two hits each, and Braunecker drove in a run. Lipkin was 1-for-4 with two RBI. Poppert, Balog, and junior center fielder Bobby Ethel rounded out the Dons eight hits with one a piece.
LMU's Lee Roberts (4-0) earned the win after allowing the Dons three earned runs off seven hits, with two hits and five strikeouts in 7.0 innings of work. Jonathan Johnson led the Lions at the plate, going 5-for-5 with a double and a triple.
USF continues the WCC series with Loyola Marymount on Saturday. Game one of the double-header begins at 11:00 AM.