March 24, 2007
Box Score
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Eric Farris singled through the right side with none out in the bottom of the ninth inning on Saturday afternoon, bringing across pinch-runner Jeremy LaMell with the game-winning run, as Loyola Marymount scored four unanswered runs to edge UC Davis 4-3 at Page Stadium, evening their nonconference weekend baseball series at a game each.
UC Davis outhit the Lions 11-8 and led 3-0 entering the bottom of the seventh but LMU scored three times in its half of the seventh to tie the game before winning in its final at-bat. Center-fielder Ryan Royster went 3-for-5 to lead the Aggies, who fell to 7-13, while third baseman Daniel Descalso, catcher Jacob Jefferies and left-fielder Kevin James finished with two hits each. LMU improved to 11-17-1.
The Aggies broke a scoreless tie with single runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a 2-0 lead. Jefferies' two-out single up the middle scored Descalso - who led off the inning with a single to center - with the first run while James' double to left an inning later was followed two batters later by Brandon Oliver's bunt up the first-base line that plated James. UC Davis extended the lead to three runs in the seventh inning as Royster singled to left field with one out, scoring Justin Schafter who had walked.
Starter Brad McAtee, meanwhile, was pitching effectively over the first six innings, giving up just four hits and not allowing a runner past second base. However, the Lions chased McAtee in the bottom of the seventh, getting consecutive singles from Elvis Herrera and Marty Mullins to open the inning and then an RBI single from Joe Zeller with one out to make it 3-1. A sacrifice fly from Farris off reliever Justin Fitzgerald made it 3-2 while a passed ball scored Zeller with the tying run.
UC Davis had a two-out rally in the eighth that put a runner at third but could not score. Schafer opened the ninth with a double through the left side and advanced to third on a groundout but reliever Nathan Keadle got Royster to line out to shortstop before striking out Oliver. LMU then won the game in its last at-bat when LaMell - who ran for Mullins who walked - advanced to third on an error during his stolen base attempt. A pair of walks, one of them intentional, loaded the bases for Farris who then delivered the game-winning hit.
Keadle (1-1) picked up the win by going 1-1/3 innings while Fitzgerald (0-2) went 1-2/3 innings and took the loss. McAtee finished with four strikeouts and three walks while scattering seven hits. Starter Brad Meyers gave up nine hits and just one walk while striking out five in 7-2/3 innings before being relieved.
Zeller finished 3 for 3 for LMU, including two doubles, while Mullins had two hits, also collecting a two-bagger. UC Davis won the series opener on Friday, 9-3. The teams will play the deciding game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
