Rally Falls Short and Lions Nine Drops One, 7-6

Loyola Marymount’s ninth-inning rally fell short Thursday and the Lions lost a non-conference baseball game to nationally-eighth-ranked Cal State Fullerton, 7-6, at Loyola.

Fullerton took a 7-4 lead into the ninth but Loyola scored twice and left the bases loaded against reliever Sam Colaruso, who struck out the final batter.

Fullerton scored single runs in the first, third, fourth, fifth and seventh innings and two in the second in compiling 15 hits. Loyola, which managed only four hits before the seventh, struck for three runs in the second and one in the fourth against winning pitcher Huck Flener, who improved to 2-0.

Brian Clancy, who relieved starter Steve Surico, took the loss. The Lions fell to 3-8 while Fullerton improved to 6-4.

Third baseman Rick Allen had two of Loyola’s eight hits, including a run-scoring single in the ninth.

The Lions, in the midst of a five-game home stand, play host to Southern Utah State at 2 p.m. today.