Leopard Baseball Season Ends With Defeat To Coe In NCAA Regional
_ad_hoc.jpg?max_width=300 "Nathan Rollon delivers during La Verne's regional matchup against Coe (courtesy Joel Ray, Linfield College)")
The University of La Verne baseball team's championship season came to an end as Coe College defeated the Leopards 5-0 in an elimination game at the McMinnville Regional Friday at Roy Helser Field/Jim Wright Stadium on the campus of Linfield College.
Ben Strellner pitched a complete game shutout for the Kohawks against the Leopards, allowing six hits and two strikeouts. Two of those hits came from Jason Moralez who went 2-for-3 on the day.
Coe struck early scoring two runs in the first inning. To lead off the game Scott DeAngelis tripled to right center. Tyler Leadley followed with a ground out RBI to score the first run of the frame. The Kohawks loaded the bases off of a double by Nick Stein and back-to-back walks. John Delaplane then singled to score the final run giving Coe the 2-0 advantage.
La Verne starter Nathan Rollon matched Strellner over the next five innings, holding the Kohawks scoreless during that span.
The Leopards were in scoring position the bottom of the fourth when Moralez and Michael Stewart both singled to put runners on first and second. Bryce Roenicke then drew a walk to load the bases, but the Leos were not able to score as Strellner induced a groundout by George Hanna to end the frame.
The Kohawks extended their lead to 3-0 in the seventh when JD Hunter hit an RBI single to plate Delaplane, who had led off the frame with a single.
Coe added a run in the eighth when Adam Nisenson and Sean Raisch hit back-to-back doubles, and posted a final run in the ninth when Hunter scored off of a Leopard error.
Rollon pitched 7.0 innings in the loss, striking out four batters in the loss.
La Verne's season ends with a 26-16 record, having reached the NCAA Tournament after clinching its first SCIAC crown in four seasons and the 20th league title in program history.
