May 13, 2012
Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. -The 18th-ranked University of San Diego baseball team held off a late Loyola Marymount University push to claim an 11-8 West Coast Conference victory in the final game ever at Cunningham Stadium.
With the win, the Toreros improve to 38-13 overall, move to 14-7 in the WCC and remains in first place in the WCC with a .5 game lead over Pepperdine. With the loss, the Lions fall to 23-23 overall and 11-7 in the WCC.
The Lions managed to get on the scoreboard first, as they pushed across one run in the top of the second inning on a Shon Roe RBI single to centerfield, which scored Mitchell Esser, who had singled, to give LMU a brief 1-0 edge.
The Toreros then responded in the bottom half of the second inning, scoring nine runs on five hits. Bryan Haar got things started, as he singled through the right side and he moved to second on Dillon Haupt's ground out to the third baseman. After Haar moved to third on a balk, Louie Lechich struck out, but reached on a wild pitch, which allowed Haar to score the first run of the inning. Austin Green then singled to left field, and Julian Duran reached on an error by the shortstop, to load the bases. After Connor Joe drew a bases-loaded RBI walk, Andrew Daniel was hit by a pitch to push across the third Torero run. Kris Bryantthen launched his 14th home run of the season, a grand slam over the right centerfield fence, to clear the bases and give USD a 7-1 edge.
Corey LeVierkept things going with a single to right field and he moved to second on a Haar walk. Lechich then singed through the right side, which scored LeVier and moved Haar to third. The Lions pitcher then threw a wild pitch, which almost had Lechich dead to rights between first and second, however, Haar decided to steal home, and Lechich was able to then beat out a throw to second to give USD its final run of the inning and a comfortable 9-1 lead.
LMU then went on to score one run in the third, two runs in the fourth, fifth and eighth innings, while USD managed to score a par if runs in the fourth to put the game at its final of 11-8.
Offensively for the Toreros, Bryant led the way, as he went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBI. Haar (2-for-3), Lechich (3-for-5) and LeVier (2-for-5) also managed to record multiple hits in the game.
Michael Wagner (3-1) picked up the win on the mound for the Toreros, as he allowed two runs on three hits in 2.1 innings of work. James Pazoscame on and picked up his third save of the season, as he allowed two runs, on three hits in 3.0 innings of work. LMU's John Lally (3-3) was saddled with the loss for the Lions, as he allowed eight runs, six earned, on five hits in 1.1 innings of work.
The Toreros will return to action on Tuesday as they head up to Irvine to take on the Anteaters of UC Irvine at 6:30 p.m.
