Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif. â€" The No. 24 USD baseball team lost the rubber match of their three game series at LMU 6-3 Sunday afternoon. The Toreros (28-14, 14-7) jumped out to an early 3-0, only to see the Lions chip away at the deficit before eventually taking the lead on three runs in the bottom of the eighth.

USD put runners on second and third on the bottom of the second, allowing pinch hitter Aidan Stinnett to bring Colton Waltner in on an RBI groundout to short to give USD a 1-0 lead.

In the following inning, the Toreros added two more runs. Roman Garcia hit an RBI double down the left field line to score Jay Schuyler. It was Garcia's 18th double of the year, which leads the conference. The next batter, Colton Waltner, single through the left side, bringing home Riley Adams.

The Lions got on the board in the bottom of the third when Billy Wilson, who led off the inning with a single, scored on a passed ball.

LMU took advantage off another Torero miscue in the sixth inning when Jamey Smart scored on a Paul Richan balk.

Richan struck out the first two hitters in the seventh inning, but then gave up three straight singles, allowing the Lions to tie it up at 3-3. Troy Conyers then came in and got the final out of the inning. LMU's Brandon Shearer reached on a bunt single in the eighth inning and then Conyers hit back-to-back batters to load the bases. Conyers got the next batter out, but then walked in the go-ahead run. Jonathan Teaney then came in and he also hit a batter, which brought a run in. Spencer Erdman reached on as bases loaded infield single, giving the Lions their third run of the inning.

Paul Richan gave up two earned runs over 6.2 innings pitched, while striking out five and walking none. Troy Conyers (2-1) was dealt his first loss of the season, giving up three runs on three hits in an inning pitched.

LMU starter Blake Redman allowed three runs in 6.1 innings. Reliever Braydon Salzman (3-1) picked up the win after not giving up a hit or run over the final 2.2 innings.

With the loss, the Toreros fall to 14-7 in conference, which puts them in fourth place with two WCC series to go. The top four teams make the WCC Championships at the end of the month.

The Toreros have a big non-conference game on Tuesday when they host nationally-ranked Long Beach State at 6:00 p.m.