Diamond Dons Split Double-Header with Loyola Marymount
April 11, 2009
(Los Angeles, CA) - San Francisco baseball earned a split in its double-header with Loyola Marymount in West Coast Conference action at Page Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Dons (16-20, 4-5 WCC) took a 9-6 victory in game one, but the Lions (22-15, 7-2 WCC) came back for a 9-4 win in the finale.
GAME ONE:
USF's offense erupted for 13 hits, including four doubles and a homerun en route to a 9-6 victory over LMU in game one on Saturday. Sophomore first baseman Stephen Yarrow led the Dons with three hits, including a homerun, and drove in a season high five runs. Senior left fielder Zach Kim singled, doubled, and drove in a run, and senior right fielder Drew Johnson went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Junior second baseman Robert Abel also had two hits, including a double, and drove in a run. Junior designated hitter Bobby Ethel doubled, drove in a run, and scored twice. Sophomore center fielder Connor Bernatz also doubled in the contest and junior catcher Ryan Lipkin singled and scored a run.
Junior right-hander Doug Murray (6-0) remained unbeaten, tossing 6.1 innings and giving up five runs (three earned) off nine hits. Murray struck out two Lions, and did not walk a batter. Sophomore left-hander Garrett Luippold gave up a hit, but did not allow a run in 0.1 innings of relief. The Lions final run came off sophomore righty Jonathan Abramson, who earned his fourth save of the year. Abramson gave up one unearned run off one hit, and struck out two in 2.1 innings.
USF struck first, plating two in the second off a two-RBI single from Yarrow, but the Lions tied it up 2-2 in the third. The Dons put up three in the fourth to make it 5-2, and would not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the contest. Yarrow was responsible for the three-run fourth, homering to right with two runners on.
In the sixth, Yarrow started a two-out rally with a single to left. He scored on Abel's double down the left field line. Kim singled through the left side, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Abel scored on the play to make it 7-2. After plating on in the sixth and two in the seventh, the Lions were down 7-5 before USF scored two insurance runs in the eighth.
Ethel smacked an RBI double for the first run of the eighth, then later scored on a wild pitch to make it 9-5. LMU added a final run in the ninth, but couldn't come all the way back.
LMU's senior right-hander Ernie Cho (2-3) took the loss, allowing seven earned runs off eight hits, with three walks and three strikeouts. Junior first baseman Ryan Wheeler led the Lions at the plate with a double, and triple, and three RBI.
GAME TWO:
USF jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning of game two. Kim got it started right away with a single and his team and conference leading 20th stolen base. He moved to third on Ethel's single to center, and scored on junior shortstop Derek Poppert's fielder's choice. After Lipkin was hit by a pitch, Johnson singled to right, scoring Poppert.
LMU tied it up with two of their own in the bottom of the frame, but USF regained the lead with one in the second off Yarrow's second homerun of the day, and his team leading sixth on the year. The Lions plated four in the bottom half, and did not lose control the rest of the way.
USF closed to within two, 6-4, in the fifth off an RBI single from Lipkin, but the Lions scored another three in the sixth to insure the 9-4 win.
Sophomore right-hander Matt Hiserman (1-4) took the loss, giving up six runs (four earned) off five hits, with four walks and two strikeouts. The two K's give Hiserman a team leading 52 on the year. Lipkin was 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI. Ethel and sophomore catcher Travis Higgs also smacked two hits in the contest. Yarrow homered, and Kim, Abel, and Johnson contributed to the Dons 10 hits in the game.
LMU's freshman righty Alex Gillingham (3-1) earned the victory, allowing four earned runs off nine hits, with one walk and one strikeout. Senior catcher T.J. Bernady led the Lions at the plate with two hits and three RBI.
USF returns to action Tuesday, at Sacramento State. First pitch is set for 2:30 PM.