LA VERNE, CA — The No. 11 Leopards dominated the Caltech Beavers in their season series, using just four pitchers en route to 26 innings of shutout baseball. La Verne opened the series with a 7-0 win at home on Friday, then traveled to Pasadena to score a combined 20 runs in two games, including a run-rule finish in the series finale. Here's how it all played out between the lines.
Game One: La Verne 7, Caltech 0
It was a perfect spring afternoon for first-year lefthander Niko Urquidi, one that blossomed into the Leopards' first complete game of the season and the team's second shutout. Urquidi took a perfect game into the seventh inning, and it took a Leopards' defensive misread that cost the young lefty his first hit.
The southpaw stayed in the game, pummeling the zone with fastball strikes and flipping in curveballs to execute outs. Urquidi finished with a career-high in strikeouts, punching out nine while surrendering just two hits in a pitching masterclass.
Offensively, the Leopards sputtered until the fifth inning. Once the engine finally turned over, the big green machine was hard to stop. La Verne scored three in the fifth, two more in the sixth, then one in each the sixth and seventh to put the game out of reach.
Junior outfielder Matthew Diaz led the charge with three hits and two RBIs. Junior utilityman Jason Givens reached base a team-leading four times, collecting two hits, drawing two walks, and coming around to score on a wild pitch in the seventh. Junior Malachi Francois also had a multi-hit day, driving in a run with a fifth-inning single.
Game Two: La Verne 8, Caltech 0
Graduate student right-hander Gerald Terry is no stranger to the Caltech lineup; last season, the SCIAC Pitcher of the Year blanked the Beavers into the ninth inning while striking out 19.
This year, the Leopards' ace managed to go the distance. For the second time in as many games in the series, a La Verne starting pitcher twirled a complete-game shutout. Terry, who struck out a season-high 12, finished the first nine-inning performance of his collegiate career.
Reigning Leopard of the Week sophomore shortstop Ryan Vosika batted out of the leadoff spot this weekend after a strong week saw his average climb over .400. After reaching base twice in the series opener, Vosika tripled in a pair of runs and singled in game two.
Junior Noah Garcia has been coming alive with the bat lately, earning himself a start slotted in the clean-up spot where he hit the majority of last season. Garcia was one of three Leos with a multi-hit game, including Vosika and Francois again.
Game Three: La Verne 12, Caltech 0
The Leopards' offense wasted no time putting the finishing touches on the Caltech series, scoring one in both of the initial frames and jumping out to a 7-0 lead by the third inning. A two-run blast from the pride of Pasadena, junior Gregory Pavon punctuated the game early. Run rules came into effect by the eighth inning, when La Verne tacked on three runs to extend their lead to 12-0.
Junior right-hander Matthew DesMarets did his best to preserve the 'complete-game shutout by a starting pitcher' streak the Leopards created but exited an inning early after tossing seven shutout frames and tying a season-high in strikeouts (6) for his third consecutive outing.
Junior right fielder Logan Reese had a big day at the plate, earning the start in the series finale and capitalizing on his opportunity with four runs batted in. Reese went 2-4 with a two-RBI double in the eighth which brought the Leopards into run-rule territory.
Six Leopards had two-hit performances, led by Pavon and Reese who drove in seven runs combined. Junior catcher Nicolas Skardoutos collected a pair of hits and a sacrifice fly. Garcia, out of the cleanup spot again, got the scoring started with a two-out RBI double in the first; he finished with two hits. Sophomore Nathan Perry reached base four times, twice via hits and twice via walks, while Francois managed a two-hit performance in all three contests.
Season Impact
The Leopards improved to 13-4-1 overall and boosted their SCIAC record to 8-1.
Next Series
La Verne will have a break from conference play next week, as they host Pacific University in a three-game series beginning Friday, March 29 at Ben Hines Field. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
