Feb. 15, 2015
LOS ANGELES - An eight-run third inning and a seven-run eighth by Loyola Marymount doomed the San Jose State baseball team in its 16-4 loss at Page Stadium, which closed out a sweep for the host Lions.
"We played awful. We embarrassed ourselves out there today," said head coach Dave Nakama. "We didn't take care of the ball on a bunt play and it turned into eight runs, and those are things we work on. I think this was a good lesson for our guys that we have a long way to go."
A night after LMU's Trevor Megill shut down the Spartans' offense, his younger brother, Tylor, tossed 6.0 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits. Megill retired 14 Spartans in a row from the first inning through the sixth.
For San Jose State (0-3), sophomore Logan Handzlik got the start and cruised through the first two innings before running into trouble in the third. Handzlik was chased after going 2.0 innings and allowing seven runs on four hits while striking out two and walking two.
Leading the Spartans offensively were Dillan Smith (1-4, 2 R, RBI), Andre Mercurio (1-4, R, RBI), David Campbell (2-4, 2 RBI) and Turtle Kuhaulua (2-4).
Smith laced a single up the middle to lead off the game and came around to score on David Campbell's infield single to give San Jose State an early 1-0 lead.
In the third, the Spartans walked two, hit three batters and surrendered four hits to fall behind 8-1.
San Jose State was able to get two runs back in the sixth, when Mercurio drove in Smith with a single through the right side and Campbell brought him home with an RBI single of his own.
After LMU added a run in the bottom half to make it 9-3, Kyle Morrison walked and came around to score on Smith's sacrifice fly.
The Lions blew the door open in the home half of the eighth, however, as the Lions sent 12 men to plate and scored seven runs on seven hits.
"We have to put runs on the board when the game's close," Nakama said. "We still had chances with guys on base. We had bases loaded with nobody out and we're down 8-1 and we only score one run. Good teams put up three or four runs in that situation and then you have a ballgame. We have a long way to go. We have to get a little tougher at the plate and be a tougher out."
San Jose State will make its Municipal Stadium debut on Tuesday, when it hosts San Francisco (0-4) at 6:00 p.m.