Loyola Rolls Into First With Sweep of UN-Reno

Loyola Marymount rolled two sevens Saturday and vaulted into first place in the West Coast Athletic Conference baseball race with a doubleheader sweep of Nevada-Reno at Loyola.

The Lions won both seven-inning games by identical 7-6 scores--their third straight one-run decision over Reno--to run their WCAC record to 14-1. They improved to 30-18 overall. Reno fell to 7-8 in the conference.

The teams end their weekend series with a 1 p.m. game today at Loyola. The Lions have an eight-game winning streak and have won 11 straight WCAC games.

Steve Surico will pitch for the Lions, who hope he can give them some strong innings. Saturday’s doubleheader saw Loyola make eight pitching changes and exhaust most of the staff.

“I didn’t feel like we took care of business today,” Loyola Coach Chris Smith said. “Our pitching the last three weeks has been going real well. Today we didn’t control the games at all.”

Loyola tied the first game on a wind-aided home run by freshman Joe Ciccarella, then won it in its last at-bat on a two-out home run by Rick Allen.

The Lions scored in every inning but one and hit four homers, but five pitchers failed to hold leads.

Lions leadoff man Robert Cannon got Loyola on the board with a homer in the first inning. The Lions led, 3-0, after three innings, but staff ace Kalani Bush couldn’t get an out in the fourth and left with the bases loaded.

Reliever Chris Spears faced two batters, walking in two runs. Darryl Scott finally put out the fire, but not before Reno led, 4-3.

The Lions struck back with two runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Mark Grafitti--who also homered in the second--and Darrel Deak. The teams exchanged runs in the fifth and played a scoreless sixth.

Scott, normally a short reliever, worked into the seventh but walked the leadoff batter. Jon Willard got an out but was victimized by a high-chop single over third. Joe Caruso gave up a run-scoring single to tie the game at 6-all before retiring the side, setting up Allen’s game-winner.

The Wolfpack posted two runs in the first inning of the nightcap on Rod Nettnin’s two-run homer off left fielder Tim Williams’ glove.

But Allen started the second game where he had left off. Following Williams’ leadoff single and a walk, Allen hit another towering home run into the left-field net, his 10th of the season. Four batters later, Deak hit a two-run double to cap a five-run inning.

The Lions added two runs in the second inning, then went through four more pitchers trying to hold off Reno. Dave Gaudette struck a three-run homer in the fourth, and Reno pulled within 7-6 in the fifth.

But Caruso came out of the bullpen to pitch the final 2 2/3 innings without incident, getting the victory in each game. He is 3-1. Starter Israel Cintora took the loss.

Allen went 3 for 7 on the day with four runs batted in. Catcher Miah Bradbury went 4 for 6 and broke the school record for doubles with his 24th of the season.