March 28, 2004

Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Billy Lockin connected for a two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to lift Loyola Marymount University (16-11-1, 7-2) to an 8-6 West Coast Conference victory over Gonzaga University (9-16, 3-3 WCC) during Sunday's series finale at Page Stadium in Los Angeles. With the win LMU takes the three game series two games to one winning the final two games of the series with late inning scoring spurts. Gonzaga now returns home to Spokane to play four straight homes starting with a Tuesday game against Washington State University. Start time is 2 p.m. at Avista Stadium.

Lockin's heroics came for the Lions after the Bulldogs had rallied to tie the game at 6-6 in the top of the eighth inning. David Johnson tripled home Kiel Thibault for the first of four Gonzaga runs in the inning against LMU starter Jeff Stevens. Matt Reding would add an RBI single followed by a two-run double by Mike Rundle two batters later. Gabriel Bueno would get the final out of the Gonzaga eighth and was credited with the win to improve to 4-1.

The Lions put runners on the bases in the eighth against John Gonzalez (1-3) when Jonathan Higashi singled to center and moved to second on a wild pitch. After a sacrifice bunt attempt by Joe Frazee placed runners on first and third, Gonzaga walked Jonathan Oller to load the bases with two outs. Lockin then laced the ball into center to give LMU the two-run lead. Kevin Jenson would then be the last of four LMU pitchers used in the ninth to seal the win, Jenson collecting his second save of the year.

LMU had scored the first run of the game in the opening inning on a Kyle Mura RBI single. Gonzaga moved into its only lead of the game in the third with Johnson driving home one run and Thibault scoring on a double play for the other Bulldogs run. Loyola Marymount regained the lead in the bottom of the third with an RBI double by Mura and a balk.

The Lions increased the lead to 6-2 in the sixth inning as Frazee doubled home two runs and Chris Pettit drove home the other Lions run. Gonzaga would tie the game in the eighth but could never regain its early lead.

Thibault went 4-for-5 for Gonzaga to improve his season average to .450 while Johnson also collected three hits for GU. Mura had three hits for LMU while Lockin added two hits including the game winning hit in the eighth.