BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Sweep Keeps Loyola in Race for WCC Title

Loyola Marymount completed a three-game sweep of Santa Clara Saturday and pulled to within a game of first place in the West Coast Conference.

The Lions, who improved to 21-9 in WCC play and 31-19 overall, beat the Broncos (29-20 overall, 16-13 in WCC play), 4-2 and 13-5, Saturday at Santa Clara after winning the series opener Friday, 8-4.

Conference leader Pepperdine split with San Francisco on Saturday, leaving the Lions two games ahead of the Waves in wins and four behind in losses.

Chris Gomez’s sacrifice fly in the fifth inning broke a 2-2 tie in the first game and made a winner of Joe Caruso (8-3).

The Lions jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the second game and Chad Dembisky pitched 5 2/3 innings of relief to improve to 9-4. Joe Ciccarella, who was five for seven batting in the doubleheader, had a three-run home run in the second game. Joe Testa had three hits and four runs batted in and Terrell Lowery was four for five with two RBIs.

The Lions, in the midst of nine consecutive road games, play a nonconference game at Cal State Fullerton at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.