LA VERNE, CA — Leopards Junior pitcher Justin McFadden pitched 3.2 scoreless innings and struck out one as the No. 18 University of La Verne's baseball team hosted the University of Chicago in a non-conference game on Sunday afternoon, falling to the Maroons 6-3.

Junior catcher Nate Perry led La Verne, going 2-4 at the plate with one RBI and one run scored. Senior infielder Noah Garcia and senior outfielder Jason Givens recorded one hit and one RBI each.

Sophomore pitcher Mikey Rogozik started the game for the Leopards and was relieved by senior pitcher Ethan Galindo in the top of the third inning. The Maroons started the scoring in the same inning when freshman first baseman Max Weisner hit a grand slam, putting his team up 5-0. Chicago cushioned their lead again in the next inning, scoring another run off two hits, making the score 6-0.

The Leopards gained one back in the bottom of the fifth when Perry doubled to right field and came around to score courtesy of Givens's single up the middle. They added two more runs in the top of the eighth inning, pushing the score to 6-3 when senior third baseman Logan Corthell tripled to right field and Garcia grounded out to second, but advanced Corthell home. Senior outfielder Matthew Diaz walked and came around to score when Perry singled to left field.

Freshman pitcher Drew Bryan started the game for the Maroons and picked up his first win of the season. Weisner fueled Chicago's offense, picking up four RBIs with his grand slam hit.

The Leopards (2-1) will look to regroup when they travel to Oregon this upcoming weekend for their first road trip of the 2025 season. First for La Verne, a three-game series against the Pacific University Boxers. Following the series, the Leopards will play one game against the Lewis and Clark College Pioneers before returning home to open up SCIAC play against the Whittier College Poets in a three-game set.