May 22, 1998

STANFORD, Calif. - The sixth-seeded Loyola Marymount Lions (34-21-1) upset the top-seeded and host Stanford Cardinal (41-13-1) by a score of 6-2 in the NCAA West Regional at Sunken Diamond. It marked Stanford's fifth consecutive loss and LMU's first NCAA Regional win since a 6-5 win over Oklahoma on May 28, 1989.

LMU starting pitcher Michael Schultz, the West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year, pitched his fourth consecutive complete game. He gave up just two runs off three hits with nine strike outs, despite a bruised throwing hand. Schultz was working on a no-hitter through six and one-third innings until Joe Borchard singled to left field.

"(Schultz) pitched a heck of a game, kind of dominated us," Stanford coach Mark Marquess said. "He's a good pitcher, obviously, had good size and throw down and it's tough to hit them down pitches."

LMU broke open a scoreless tie in the third inning with four runs, three off an Anthony Angel single and a Stanford error. They added one more run with a Matt Riordan sacrifice fly. Ryan Beaver was three for three with one RBI and Angel was collected a pair of hits and three RBI.

"It's a reward for us just to be here to play in this atmosphere," said LMU head coach Frank Cruz. "Our guys need to treat it like that. Win or lose, we're here to have a great time because tomorrow could be a whole different story."

All-American Jeff Austin took his second consecutive loss as he gave up six runs off eight hits in six and one third innings. Jay Pecci and Edmund Muth each had a hit and a RBI to lead the Cardinal. This was Stanford's first opening round loss in a Regional that they have hosted, but the Cardinal did lose the first game of the Regional in 1998 when they went on to win the National Championship. The Lions will face Long Beach State tomorrow at 3:00 pm while the Cardinal will play Minnesota at 11:00 am.

Loyola Marymount    004 001 100 x   6   9   1
Stanford            000 000 200 X   2   3   2

WP: Schultz (9-2)
LP: Austin 12-4
2B: Walter (16), Beaver (12).
3B: Gustorf (3)
Battery: Schultz and Walter (LMU). Austin, Coose, and Alvarado (LMU).
Austin Coose entered the game in the seventh inning.

Post-Game Quotes

STANFORD COACH MARK MARQUESS:

"(LMU) played a great game and we couldn't get Jeff (Austin) runs."

On LMU pitcher Michael Schultz:
"He pitched a heck of a game, kind of dominated us. He's a good pitcher, obviously, had good size and throw down and it's tough to hit them down pitches."

"The thing he did well was he throw more than one pitch over the plate."

On losing game one:
"It's real tough. You lose your first game with your number one pitcher, it's tough."

"You have to get by tomorrow. Tomorrow's a tough day and we'll see how we play."

"The guy that bother us was the guy that pitched. They did a better job. They hit the ball better. They just played a better game and they pitched better than we did."

JEFF AUSTIN:

"I picked a bad night not to have my good stuff."

"I was fighting myself up there all night. I was struggling with my control. Maybe my mechanics was off."

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT HEAD COACH FRANK CRUZ

"This was the biggest win of my career."

"It's a reward for us just to be here to play in this atmosphere. Our guys need to treat it like that. Win or lose, we're here to have a great time because tomorrow could be a whole different story."

MIKE SCHULTZ

"(On his bruised hand) It didn't affect the mental side of my game. It was sore, but it didn't really bother me."

"I didn't feel much pressure coming into this game because I wasn't expected to do much as a freshman. I went after the hitters to make them hit my stuff."

For more coverage of day one at the West Regional, check the following recaps:

• Alabama 8, Minnesota 2
• N.C. State 12, Long Beach State 3