LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena on Wednesday, the Loyola Marymount Lions, who entered the day with the worst record in the West Coast Conference, erased a seven-run deficit and walked off with an 8-7 victory over the Cal Poly Mustangs.

The Lions, now 8-20, scored four runs in the fourth inning and three more in the eighth to tie the game before completing the comeback in the bottom of the ninth. The Mustangs fell to 14-9 despite building a commanding early lead.

Cal Poly struck first, manufacturing a run in the opening inning. Leadoff hitter Castellon was hit by a pitch, advanced on a walk and a fielder’s choice, and scored on an RBI single by left fielder Dante Vachini. The Mustangs added another in the second without the benefit of a hit, as Van der Wel scored on a Hoiland groundout after reaching on a throwing error by Lions shortstop N. Stiveson.

The game remained a 2-0 pitchers’ duel into the fourth, highlighted by strong starts. Loyola Marymount’s Zachary DenDekker struck out six over three innings, allowing one earned run on three hits. Cal Poly’s Sean McGrath was perfect through three, striking out four.

The momentum shifted violently in the bottom of the fourth. McGrath’s perfect game and shutout vanished in a span of four batters. DJ Ghiorso and Winfield Gurney led off with singles. After a strikeout, Lions first baseman Richie Klosek launched a three-run homer down the left field line to cut the deficit to 2-3. The very next batter, T. Friend, followed with a solo shot to right field, tying the game 4-4 and chasing McGrath from the game.

Cal Poly reliever Josh Morano entered and provided critical stability, extinguicating the fourth-inning rally and then dominating over the middle innings. Morano pitched 3 2/3 perfect frames, striking out five and allowing no hits.

The Mustangs appeared to seize control in the top of the eighth, breaking the 4-4 tie with a four-run outburst. The rally was capped by Vachini’s two-run single up the middle, his third hit and third RBI of the game, making it 7-4.

Needing three runs to extend the game, the Lions answered immediately in the bottom of the eighth against new pitcher Bonn. Z. Williams tripled and scored on a Gurney double. After a walk, C. Whitton delivered an RBI single. A sacrifice fly from Z. Wadas then tied the game at 7-7, completing the three-run inning.

In the ninth, Cal Poly went down in order against Lions reliever Jacob Fried, who earned the win with 1 1/3 perfect innings and two strikeouts.

In the bottom half, J. Wall sparked the winning rally with a one-out single to third. Z. Williams followed with a single to center, moving Wall to third. Ghiorso, who finished a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored, then lined the next pitch into left field, scoring Wall easily and setting off a celebration at home plate.

The comeback victory defied pregame projections from Interstat, which gave Cal Poly a 66.2% probability to win and projected an 8-2 Mustangs victory.

Cal Poly begins a three-game series at UC Riverside on Friday. Loyola Marymount opens West Coast Conference play at Santa Clara, also on Friday.