Loyola Edges Fresno, 8-7

When blue-chip baseball prospect Joe Ciccarella signed his letter of intent last year to attend Loyola Marymount, he was told by the Lions’ coaches that he would probably be an impact player right away.

How right they were.

Ciccarella, a prep star at Mater Dei High School, had another big hit Wednesday afternoon. He drove in the winning run with a single in the twilight to hand nationally 12th-ranked Fresno State an 8-7 loss in 10 innings at Loyola.

The left-handed-hitting Ciccarella pulled a single into right field off Rich Crane, Fresno State’s southpaw ace, to score Joe Bellezzo with two out in the bottom of the 10th. It was Ciccarella’s second hit of the game and raised the freshman first baseman’s batting average to .372.

“It was nice to finally win one of those one-run games,” Ciccarella said. “Usually the other team would make a great play and we’d lose. Now the hits are starting to fall, and we’re on a roll.”

The non-league victory was Loyola’s 10th in the last 11 games and boosted the team’s overall record to 27-18. The Lions are 10-1 in the West Coast Athletic Conference.

The Bulldogs (30-14) came away with their second loss to Loyola in two games, despite getting big contributions from three of the top college players in the nation:

- Fresno State center fielder Tom Goodwin, a former Olympian rated as the No. 4 college prospect in the upcoming June professional draft by Baseball America magazine, came up with a pair of big hits, including a sharp single up the middle that knotted the game at six in the fifth.

- Right fielder Steve Hosey, the No. 7 prospect in Baseball America’s draft forecast, muscled a mammoth home run high over the screen in left on a low pitch on the outside corner from Loyola’s Kalani Bush that tied the game again at seven in the ninth.

- Shortstop Eddie Zosky, ranked by Baseball America as the No. 3 college prospect, contributed a two-run single and also came up with a heads-up defensive play that might have pushed the game to 11 innings if not for Ciccarella’s winning hit.

With two on and one out in the 10th, Loyola’s Tim Williams chopped a high bouncer over Crane’s head that Zosky speared on the dead run. With little chance to nip the speedy Williams at first, Zosky spun and gunned the ball to third base and nailed pinch runner Mark Tillman, who had strayed past the bag.

Crane entered the game in relief of Bobby Jones (1-4), who took the loss. Bush (10-2) got the win in relief. Right fielder Robert Cannon hit his fourth home run of the season in the second inning and Brian Turang had three hits for the Lions, including a pair of doubles.

“It helps our chances to make the playoffs to beat a quality team like Fresno State twice,” said Loyola Coach Chris Smith. “We dug such a big hole for ourselves earlier this season that our playoff hopes rest on winning the conference. Hopefully, the guys who decide who goes to the playoffs will take a look at the teams that we’ve beaten.”