It’s Make-Or-Break Time: Loyola Nine to Face 16 League Games

With the resumption of West Coast Athletic Conference play today, Loyola Marymount enters the make-or-break portion of its baseball schedule.

The Lions, who are an uncharacteristic 17-17, have played only three WCAC games, but 16 of their last 20 are against conference opponents, starting with last-place San Diego in a four-game series in Loyola’s Page Stadium.

The WCAC’s format of four games in three days each weekend puts considerable pressure on a pitching staff, and so far Loyola’s, which entered the season with high hopes, has been shaky.

Steve Surico and Mike McNary, the left-right combo who combined for 21 of Loyola’s 48 victories last year, are 2-4 and 2-1, with earned-run averages above 6.00. And relief ace Darryl Scott is struggling at 3-6. He was the loser Tuesday, 4-3, to USC, allowing the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

The pitching woes have been discouraging to first-year Coach Chris Smith, whose offense has been typically prodigious for the last month. The defense, which includes several newcomers at key positions, has also solidified.

Smith called the race in the conference, which doesn’t appear to have a dominant team, “an open crap shoot.” Of his team he said, “Up to now our pitchers just haven’t done it. We’ve got to pitch better. We’re knockin’ it all over the park, but that’s a crude way to win. If we pitch better we’ll be in there. Surico, McNary and Scott have had success at the college level, we just need them to pitch the way they can.”

Senior right-hander Kalani Bush has emerged as the leader with a 6-1 record and 3.03 ERA, and Smith said freshman Joe Caruso has progressed steadily. In the field, Darrel Deak has settled in at short, and junior transfer Kevin Van de Brake has won the job at second, shoring up the defense.

The hitting, which started slowly when the team struggled through a seven-game losing streak in February, has been in a groove for the last month, raising the team average to a conference-high .317. The Lions also lead the WCAC in home runs and runs batted in. Third baseman Rick Allen is hitting .387 with seven homers and 41 RBIs. Outfielder Travis Tarchione hit .458 in March to raise his season totals to .377 with seven homers and 35 RBIs, and catcher Miah Bradbury has slugged 15 doubles while lifting his average to .363.

The Lions are 2-1 in the WCAC, trailing Pepperdine (6-2) and San Francisco (5-2). San Diego is 1-6. They play single games today at 2:30 and Sunday at 1 p.m. and a noon double-header Saturday.

Said Smith: “We’ve played our toughest schedule, and our youth may not have been ready. They might have gotten a little shellshocked. (But) even through the losing streak we never really played badly. It’s been frustrating. I didn’t expect to be sitting here (17-17). We went through a lot of adversity. Our good times are definitely ahead of us. I do believe those guys can pitch. Now’s the time; let’s get it on, go out there and win the conference.”