LA VERNE, CA — The University of La Verne baseball team started the 2024 season with a commanding 13-3 win at home against the visiting Pacific Lutheran Lutes. La Verne enters the season after advancing to the NCAA Super Regionals last year. 

Sophomore Aiden Salcedo led La Verne with three hits and one RBI, finishing the day 3-6. Junior outfielder Mathew Diaz added two hits and two RBI. Nolan Anguiano had an outstanding offensive outing, finishing with a pair of hits, two RBI, and two runs in a hitting spree Friday afternoon.

The Leopards finished with 18 hits.

Logen Corthel hit a base-clearing double in the sixth inning that plated three runs to extend the Leopards' lead to 9-2. 

Nathan Perry put the stamp on the win with a home run to left field in the eighth.

After a scoreless first two innings, Diaz singled to right field to bring in Anthony Salcedo for the Leopards' first score of the 2024 season. The Lutes tied the Leopards 2-2 in the fourth inning. 

The Leopards opened up after that, scoring runs in each of the last five innings.

Noah Garcia added two hits, two runs, and an RBI.

Austin Klopfenstein went four innings in his start, striking out two. Niko Urquidi pitched four and stuck out three, and Ian Wong went three up, three down in the ninth.

The Leopards will continue the series and play a doubleheader against the Lutes on Saturday, February 24.