LA VERNE, CA —The Leopards finished their series against defending Northwest Conference Champions Pacific, beating the Boxers to open the day before falling in the finale.
Game 1: No. 11 La Verne 7, Pacific 5
The Leopards finished with 10 hits in their return to Ben Hines field, a day after being forced to play a home game at Chapman's Hart Park due to anticipated rain on Saturday. The Leopards have recorded 10 or more hits in 15 games this season.
Matthew Diaz was perfect at the plate, going 4-4 with two RBIs, one run, and a walk. After the Boxers scored three runs to even the game in the top of the sixth, Diaz put the Leopards back on top when he drove in Malachi Francois and Jake Ledford to put La Verne up, 6-4.
The Leopards' pitching made a big impact in a win for the second game in a row. Gerald Terry struck out 10 in his six innings of work to pick up his fifth win of the season. Terry struck out double-digit batters for the second game in a row after shutting down 12 batters against Caltech. Terry held the Boxers to just one run and one hit off a solo shot through five innings until Pacific mounted their comeback attempt in the sixth.
It took the Leopards just four batters to get on the board. With Ryan Vosika on second and Diaz on first, Nathan Perry doubled in the Leopards' shortstop for the opening 1-0 lead.
The Leopards plated two more runs in the third first off a ground out RBI by Nolan Anguiano and the second when Perry raced home from third on a passed ball.
Perry, who spent time at both left field and behind the plate in the game, finished 2-4 with two RBIs, his second came in the eighth to give the Leopards an insurance run.
Chase Pedersen picked up the save, pitching three innings of relief work. He stepped into the seventh and halted the Boxers' surge, striking out four in the process.
Noah Garcia added two hits.
CJ Colyer led Pacific with a pair of homers for three RBIs.
Game Two: Pacific 16, No. 11 La Verne 5 (7 Innings)
The Leopards fell behind 7-0 in the second and couldn't recover in the final game of the series.
The Boxers had little trouble seeing the ball, connecting for 16 hits in the game. La Verne used nine pitchers in the game.
Perry provided a bright spot for the Leopards, going 2-4 at the dish with a triple, double, and two RBIs. Vosika added two hits and a run. Diaz, Jason Givens, and Aiden Salcedo each added and RBI.
Season Impact
La Verne moves to 15-5-1 overall and Pacific goes to 15-7.
Next Game
The Leopards return to SCIAC action on Friday, April 5, when they travel down the road to face No. 13 Pomona-Pitzer in a highly anticipated matchup between the two top teams in the SCIAC.
