LA VERNE, CA — In a critical SCIAC doubleheader between two nationally ranked programs, the No. 6 University of La Verne baseball team split Saturday's games with No. 15 California Lutheran at Ben Hines Field. The Leopards were blanked 1-0 in a tightly contested opener before bouncing back with an explosive 9-4 victory in game two.
Game One: Cal Lutheran 1, La Verne 0
Game one featured a classic pitcher's duel, but the Leopards couldn't generate enough offense to back up a strong outing from starter Ethan Galindo. The senior right-hander allowed just one run on eight hits across 7.1 innings but suffered his first loss of the season (6-1).
Cal Lutheran scratched across the game's only run in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Josh Quinn, which proved to be the difference. La Verne had its best chance to score in the second when Logan Reese singled and advanced to third on a double by Noah Garcia, but a strong relay from left field cut down Reese at the plate.
La Verne (22-5, 10-4 SCIAC) managed just four hits and was stifled by Kingsmen starter Leo Bristow, who improved to 5-0 with 7.1 scoreless innings. Justin Kim recorded the save, stranding the tying run at second in the eighth.
Game Two: La Verne 9, Cal Lutheran 4
The Leopards flipped the script in game two, pounding out 15 hits and scoring in five different innings to earn a 9-4 win and secure the series victory.
Ryan Vosika continued his stellar season with a 3-for-3 performance, including a double, a sacrifice fly, and two RBIs. Noah Garcia delivered the game's biggest blow, launching a three-run home run to right field in the eighth to put the game out of reach. Logan Corthell also starred at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double, triple, and an RBI.
La Verne took the lead in the third and never trailed, building a 3-1 advantage before tacking on two in the seventh and four more in the eighth. On the mound, the Leopards used six pitchers, with Garrett Halbeisen earning the win (3-0) after two solid innings of relief. Justin Ries picked up the save, closing out the ninth after a late Cal Lutheran push.
Defensively, the Leopards overcame three errors by limiting damage with timely outs, while their offensive depth and aggressive baserunning kept the Kingsmen off balance.
Up Next
La Verne (23-5, 11-4 SCIAC) returns to non-conference action on Wednesday, April 16, hosting The Master's University at 3:30 p.m. at Ben Hines Field. The Leopards will aim to stay sharp as they prepare for the final stretch of SCIAC play.
