Baseball Wins Series Opener over LMU, 6-4

April 25, 2003

Box Score

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University baseball team won its series opener with Loyola Marymount University by a score of 6-4 Friday night at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Broncos improve their season record to 22-22 with the win while their record in West Coast Conference play improves to 14-5. LMU falls to 22-21 overall and 9-10 in league play.

The Broncos scored three times in the fourth, twice in the fifth and added their sixth run in the bottom of the sixth inning to jump out to a comfortable 6-0 lead. The Lions cut into that comfort zone with four runs in the top of the seventh inning but could score no more as SCU closer Patrick Overholt came on and threw the final 2 1/3 innings to pick up his seventh save of the season.

Matt Travis improved to 5-6 on the year as he threw 6 1/3 innings in which he allowed only three runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out three. He got himself into trouble in the seventh inning before giving way to Anthony Rea who allowed one run on one hit but walked three before being pulled in favor of Overholt. Overholt struck out two LMU batters and allowed only one hit in the 12 batters he faced for the save.

A.J. LaBarbera led the Broncos' attack of the evening, going 4-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and two RBI. Ryan Chiarelli, Michael Lange and Jason Matteucci each collected two hits en route to the 15 hits the Broncos belted out as a team. Lange picked up two RBI to go along with his two hits while Jack Headley posting an RBI in the game with a sacrifice fly.

Vince Cordova took the loss for the Lions after allowed six runs, five of which were earned, on 14 hits with one walk and six strikeouts in six full innings of work. Josh Meucke three the final two innings for LMU, allowing only one hit to go along with two walks and two strikeouts.

Joe Silva went 3-for-4 with one run scored on the night for the Lions while Sean Smith was the only other Loyola Marymount player with more than one hit, collecting two hits in five at-bats. Billy Lockin, Jon Higashi and James Cooper each collected an RBI on the evening.

The win keeps the Broncos just two games behind WCC Coast Division leader Pepperdine who defeated Portland earlier in the day in Malibu, Calif., by a score of 14-3. The Lions fall to one full game behind San Diego whose game at Gonzaga on Friday was postponed due to rain in Spokane, Wash.

SCU and LMU will play game two of their three-game series Saturday afternoon at Buck Shaw Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.