SAN ANTONIO, TX — The University of La Verne baseball team defeated the Trinity Tigers 15-6 to even the best-of-five series in the NCAA Regional.
A pair of homers highlighted the Leopards' offensive explosion.
Noah Garcia, who was a triple shy of the cycle yesterday, blew the game open with a grand slam to right field in the fourth to put the Leopards up 10-1 as part of an eight-run inning. Garcia finished the game with five RBIs, two hits, and two runs. He has seven RBIs and six hits in the first two games of the regional.
Logan Reese got the La Verne's offense rolling. The Leopards were down 0-1 in the bottom of the third inning when Reese hit a go-ahead two-run home run, which gave La Verne their first lead of the series, 2-1.
SCIAC Newcomer of the Year,
Niko Urquidi, got the start as the Leopards were the designated home team. He shined for La Verne, going six and a third, striking out five, and giving up just five hits, securing the win. The Tigers hit .111 against Urquidi.
The Leopards had 17 hits in yesterday's loss, and the fourth inning proved that the offense was ready for the challenge. La Verne drew three straight walks to start the bottom of the fourth inning.
Benny Vogel had an RBI single to make it 3-1. With the bases still loaded,
Ryan Vosika drew ball four, plating another and knocking Trinity starter Joseph Havana out of the game with a 4-1 La Verne lead.
Matthew Diaz greeted Trinity relief pitcher Sheppard Tyler with an RBI single of his own, making it 5-1. With the bases still loaded,
Nathan Perry was hit by a pitch, extending the Leopard's lead 6-1 and setting up Garcia's slam.
La Verne finished with 15 hits.
Trinity drew first blood as Urquidi walked in a run in the top of the second inning.
With the bases loaded at the bottom of the fifth inning, Vosika scored 11-1 after drawing ball four to score
Jason Givens. Diaz brought another run across on a 6-4-3 double play, making it 12-1.
It was 13-1 after
Jason Givens added to the party with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Garcia made it 14-1, bringing Vosika in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Trinity added four runs in the top of the eighth inning, making it 15-4.
Jared Benash got one of those runs back for the Leopards with an RBI single off the bench in the bottom of the eighth inning to make it 15-5.
Trinity got a run back in the top of the ninth, but 15-6 was the final.
Game 2 of today's doubleheader is set for 1:00 p.m. (PT)