LA VERNE, CA — The University of La Verne baseball team ended the weekend with some major dramatics.
Trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth, sophomore Ryan Vosika singled through the left side, plating pinch runner Jake Ledford and Noah Garcia to give the No. 14 Leopards an exciting 7-6 walk-off win and complete the sweep over Occidental.
The Leopards improve to 10-3-1 overall and 5-1 in the SCIAC.
La Verne entered the inning trailing 6-4 but quickly got two runners on after Diaz and Matt Rice drew walks. Garcia stepped up next and drove in Diaz to get the Leopards within one.
Vosika finished 3-3 at the plate with three RBIs and two walks. Garcia added three hits and two RBIs. Both Garcia and Diaz hit a double. Jason Givens drew three walks and stole a base. Logan Reese scored twice.
La Verne used eight different pitchers in the win. Matthew DesMarets went five innings in his start, striking out six while giving up just four hits and no walks. Austin Klopfenstein pitched the final two outs and picked up his second win of the year to improve to 2-0.
The Leopards held a 4-2 lead entering the eighth when the Tigers used three hits and two La Verne errors to score four runs and take the lead.
Trailing 2-1 entering the sixth, the Leopards evened the game when Vosika earned a bases-loaded walk to score Nolan Anguiano. Anthony Salcedo hit a sacrifice fly to center that brought in Christian Takahashi to give the Leopards their first lead.
Game One: La Verne 8, Occidental 3
The Leopards used 11 hits to win Saturday's opener. Nathan Perry recorded three of those hits and scored twice. Perry leads La Verne and ranks third in the SCIAC with a .444 batting average.
Anthony Salcedo hit a pair of doubles, drove in one run, and scored once. Matthew Diaz went 2-2 with two RBIs and two runs.
Gerald Terry pitched a gem, going seven innings in his start with two strikeouts, one run, and three hits.
Logan Corthell added a sacrifice fly in the eighth as part of a three-run inning.
Leading 3-1 in the sixth following a bases-loaded, two-run double from Diaz, the Leopards used smart base running and took advantage of some Tiger miscues to extend the lead. With Nolan Anguiano on third and Diaz on second, Ryan Vosika laid down a squeeze bunt, attempting to bring in the runner from third. Anguiano got caught in a pickle between home and third before being chased back to third when the Tigers turned their attention to Diaz, stranded between second and third.
Diaz kept Occidental's eyes on him long enough for Anguiano to make a break for home. An errant throw from the Tigers rolled to the backstop, allowing both runners to score and Vosika to advance to third.
Next Game
The Leopards return to action on Monday, March 18 in a non-conference game against Tufts University at 3 p.m.
