Lions’ Pitching Was Downfall in NCAA Regional : Baseball: Loyola Marymount fell behind, 8-1, against Arizona State, before nearly pulling out a victory.

Loyola Marymount’s lack of pitching depth caught up with the Lions in the NCAA West II Regional, but the Lions’ bats helped make for a lively game as they bowed out of the tournament Saturday, 11-9.

The Lions, who finished the season 45-17, gave up 24 runs in the double-elimination tournament. But after being losing, 13-2, Friday to Washington State, the Lions played the region’s top seed, Arizona State, tough on its home field.

Loyola senior left-hander Steve Surico was hurt by wildness that has plagued him all season. He failed to get an out in the second inning, walked four and gave up three runs despite allowing only one hit. He took the loss, falling to 3-4.

The Sun Devils, 51-14 on the season and 2-0 in the regional, scored three more runs off reliever Joe Caruso and four off Darryl Scott, building a 8-1 lead after 3 1/2 innings. Designated hitter Jim Henderson, the No. 8 hitter hit a two-run single in the second, a run-scoring single in the fourth and a home run leading off the eighth.

Despite the big lead, Arizona State starter and winner Kip Yaughn (11-4) couldn’t close out the Lions, giving up seven runs--six of them unearned, aided by four Sun Devil errors.

The Lions got a run off Yaughn in the third, and posted three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. Freshman Bobby Hughes’ three-run homer in the fifth cut the lead to 9-7.

Henderson answered with his home run in the seventh and Arizona State added its last run in the eighth, then had to hold off a final Loyola rally.

Infielder Darrel Deak led off the Lions’ eighth with a homer. Later in the inning, Rick Mediavilla got his second hit and scored on a Miah Bradbury single to make it 11-9. With the potential tying runs on base and two out, Arizona State reliever Rusty Silcox was summoned and retired Tim Williams to end the threat.

“We just couldn’t answer back to everything they did,” Deak said.

Silcox worked a perfect ninth to record his sixth save. The Lions pitchers never managed a 1-2-3 inning against the Sun Devils.

“It’s not an easy task to beat Arizona State at ASU,” Loyola Coach Chris Smith said. “I think we gave them everything they wanted.”

Mediavilla, who was 2 for 5, finished the season with 112 hits and a .416 average, both school and West Coast Conference records. Freshman shortstop Chris Gomez was 3 for 5 and finished the season with 100 hits.

“I think we played like one of the best teams in the country, but Arizona State was the best team out there,” Mediavilla said.