May 22, 2005
Loyola Marymount - 8
Gonzaga - 7
Los Angeles, Calif. - Senior Jon Oller played every defensive position including his collegiate pitching debut to lead LMU baseball to the 8-7 win over Gonzaga Sunday afternoon at Page Stadium. With the win, the Lions (30-25, 18-12 WCC) complete a four game series sweep of the Bulldogs (28-26, 15-15 WCC), including a West Coast Conference Coast Division title-clinching game Saturday.
The Lions, who have now won five straight games and 14 of their last 16, will host Pepperdine in the WCC Baseball Championship Series for the second straight season next weekend. The Waves will represent the West Division after defeating San Francisco in the rubber match Sunday 4-2.
Gonzaga scored four unearned runs in the first inning, but a LMU five-run fourth inning set up the series sweep. Junior Kyle Mura sent his sixth home run of the season over the wall in left in the fourth for two of the Lions' five that inning.
The Lions scored the go-ahead run in the seventh on a wild pitch by Gonzaga reliever Nate Williams which brought in Evan Shahak from third. Shahak had tied the game at eight with a double that scored Chris Pettit, who had doubled to the same left center spot just before Shahak.
Shahak finished the day 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored.
LMU starter Kyle Huddy (3-3) threw a season-high 6.2 strong innings for the Lions without an earned run. He equaled his season-high six strikeouts.
As part of the Senior Sunday celebration, Oller played every defensive position for the Lions, including throwing to the final two batters in the ninth for his collegiate pitching debut. The Lions' four-year utility player earned his first career save after getting two fly outs to secure the series sweep.
Gonzaga starter Chris Albrecht fell to 0-2 after allowing six runs on three hits in his 3.2 innings.
The Lions will now prepare for the WCC Baseball Championship, to be played at Page Stadium next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday if needed against Pepperdine. LMU fans should follow www.LMULions.com throughout the week for the latest updates and ticket information.
Pepperdine - 4
San Francisco - 2
Malibu, Calif. - Freshman right hander Barry Enright pitched five solid innings and Pepperdine received four scoreless innings of relief from Bryan Minkel, Doug Konoske and Steve Kleen to help the Waves to a 4-2 victory over San Francisco and the West Coast Conference's WCC) West Division title Sunday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium.
In marked the seventh consecutive division title for Pepperdine (36-20, 21-9) and set up a re-match of last year's WCC Championship Series against Loyola Marymount (30-25, 18-12). The Lions swept a four-game series from Gonzaga over the weekend to capture the Coast Division.
Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount will renew their storied rivalry on Friday when the two teams open the WCC Championship Series at Page Stadium beginning at 3 p.m. The series will continue with a 1 p.m. contest on Saturday and, if necessary, conclude at 1 p.m. Sunday.
The Waves did all their scoring in the first three innings against San Francisco left-hander Scott Cousins (8-5).
After the Dons (38-18, 20-9) tallied a run in the first inning, Pepperdine tied the score in the bottom half of the first on a two-out home run by sophomore catcher Chad Tracy.
The Waves went ahead 2-0 in the second when freshman shortstop Danny Worth hit a leadoff single, advanced to third on failed pickoff attempt at first base and scored on a ground ball out to second base.
Pepperdine concluded its scoring in the third, taking advantage of a hit batsman, walk, dropped fly ball that scored a run and a single by designated hitter Nick Kliebert that made the score 4-1.
The Waves then had to stave off late-inning threats by San Francisco, which put the leadoff batter aboard in each of the last four innings.
The Dons' best opportunity to tie the game came in the sixth when they opened the inning with back-to-back singles off Enright (9-1). The two hits ended the day for the rookie right hander, who was replaced by junior left-hander Bryan Minkel.
Minkel faced one batter and allowed a bunt single to Cousins that loaded the bases.
He was then replaced by freshman right hander Doug Konoske, who worked his way out of the jam, allowing just one run as he surrendered a sacrifice fly and a ground ball single before getting a foul ball popup and a popup to short.
Konoske allowed two singles and walked a batter in the seventh but worked his way out of that jam as he struck out a batter, recorded a strikeout and had a runner thrown out attempting to steal.
Kleen worked the final two innings and overcame a pair of leadoff walks to earn his 13th save of the year.
In his five innings of work, Enright scattered eight hits, allowed two runs, did not walk a batter and struck out one.
NOTES: Sunday's game marked the final home contest for 10 Pepperdine seniors. Ryan Beglin, Nelson Caraballo, Bobby Hobbs, Steve Kleen, Taylor Klosowski, Kea Kometani, Joey Parker, Peter Phillips, Patrick Rooney and David Smart are concluding their collegiate careers this season...Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount will be meeting in the WCC Championships Series for the fourth time in the seven years of its existence...All four meetings have been at Loyola Marymount and the Lions have won two of the previous three...The Waves will be looking to win back-to-back WCC titles for the first time since winning three straight between 1991-93.
Santa Clara - 4
Portland - 0
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Senior Kellan McConnell pitched a complete game in his final outing as a Bronco to lead the Santa Clara University baseball team to a 4-0 shutout victory over the University of Portland in SCU's season finale Sunday in front of 766 fans at Stephen Schott Stadium.
Santa Clara improved its record to 28-28 on the season and 11-19 in West Coast Conference play. Portland fell to 17-36 overall and 7-23 in league games.
"I could not be more proud of this team and, in particular, these seven seniors," said head coach Mark O'Brien. "With all the injuries we've suffered this season, it would have been easy for these guys to fold up the tent and go home. But, they fought and scrapped and never gave up."
McConnell earned the victory for SCU after allowing just eight hits, striking out two and not allowing a walk in the game. The San Juan Capistrano, Calif. native moved to 5-7 on the season. Portland starter Josh Roberts also pitched a completed game and fell to 1-6 on the season with the loss.
Sophomore shortstop Kevin Drever went 4-for-5 at the plate and scored a run for the Broncos. Seven different SCU players registered a hit in the game and four different players crossed the plate. Portland was led by Travis Vetters and Justin Ehlers, who each registered two hits in the game.
Seniors Ryan Chiarelli and Shawn Epidendio each reached base in their final at-bat as Broncos in the eighth inning. Chiarelli singled down the left field line then advanced to second base on an error by Portland second baseman Andrew Wrisley. He moved to third on a balk by Roberts then scored on a sacrifice squeeze bunt by classmate Mark Folgner.
Santa Clara started quickly by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning of the game. Drever opened the inning with a single up the middle, advanced to second on an Epidendio single then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Jason Matteucci. He scored on a fielding error by third baseman Jason Krohn. Epidendio then crossed the plate when Eric Newton grounded out to first base.
The Broncos added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Matteucci doubled to left centerfield to open the inning then advanced to third on a deep flyball to centerfield by Michael Thompson. After Kris Watts walked, Matteucci moved scored on a fly to centerfield by Eric Newton.
The contest marked the final appearance for seven Bronco seniors: Chiarelli, Epidendio, Folgner, McConnell, Anthony Rea, Adam Sanabria and Thomas Van Buskirk. The seniors were honored in a pregame ceremony.