Round 22 | Codie Paiva | RHP | Loyola Marymount | SIGNED

[tjfla]

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[tjfla]

6'5 215 From Hawaii

Was RP became SP

https://d1baseball.com/player/ySWzM9dr/codie-paiva/

[emkayseven]

from just a few days ago:

LOS ANGELES — Even Baylor fans had to cheer.

After Loyola Marymount ace Codie Paiva left an NCAA regional game in the eighth inning against Baylor on Friday, having held the Bears to just one run, fans in LMU crimson and Baylor green all ushered the LMU righty into the dugout with a shower of applause.


There was a lot to cheer for in Paiva’s performance. The senior from Hawaii led LMU to a 3-1 victory in the first round of the four-team NCAA regional at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Friday, giving up four hits and a walk with five strikeouts in 7-2/3 lights-out innings.


“Codie set the tone on the mound,” LMU head coach Jason Gill said of the WCC Pitcher of the Year. “He does what he does.”


The WCC Tournament champion Lions, who are playing in their first NCAA regional since 2000, will face the winner between No. 1 overall seed UCLA and Omaha in the second round on Saturday at 7 p.m.


Friday’s victory was the first NCAA regional win for LMU since it beat Cal State Fullerton in the opening round of the West Regional in 2000. The Lions (33-23) haven’t advanced past the regional round since 1986 when they went to the College World Series.


“It’s a big deal for us,” Gill said of the victory. “It’s been a long time. What it means to our program is it kind of validates all the hard work that a lot of teams have done in the past.”


Paiva is just one of two regularly contributing seniors leading LMU into nearly uncharted postseason territory. With the maturity expected of a senior, he calmly sent back Baylor hitters, who sent some well-hit balls to the warning track but didn’t crack the LMU defense. After the Lions turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the sixth and preserve a two-run lead, the pitcher unleashed a loud roar toward the dugout before pointing toward shortstop Nick Sogard, whose pirouetting throw started the inning-ending play. Sogard was named the WCC Defensive Player of the Year this season, backing up Paiva, the conference’s pitcher of the year.


The win followed a familiar formula for the Lions, who prided themselves on pitching, defense and timely hitting this season.


LMU broke through two runs in the sixth inning with back-to-back RBI hits from first baseman Trevin Esquerra and right fielder Tommy Delgado. Esquerra, LMU’s leading hitter with a .335 average entering the postseason, hit just his second triple of the season to break a 1-1 tie and then came home on a single from Delgado.


Delgado, a freshman from Bonita High of La Verne, had three of LMU’s five hits, including an RBI single and a double.


“It’s kind of like a different hero every day,” Gill said.


Third baseman Brandon Shearer said while many may look down on the LMU offense that ranked second-to-last in scoring in the WCC during the regular-season, the Lions embrace the naysayers, especially when LMU has its ace to lean on.


“We just know that if Codie’s on the mound, we have a chance no matter what,” Shearer said.

Paiva threw 110 pitches Friday and begrudgingly left in the eighth inning. He received a standing ovation from the LMU crowd. It was the first time he had been taken out of a game early since May 2 as his previous two starts had been complete games.

The workhorse pitcher said he mentally could have liked to go longer, but understood that it was the right choice physically.

“Codie never wants to be taken out of a baseball game,” Gill said smiling.

https://www.dailynews.com/2019/05/31...in-since-2000/

[Nick]

Good shit, LMU almost pulled a shocker in the LA Regional.

[tjfla]

SIGNED