LOS ANGELES, CA — The No. 8 University of La Verne baseball team completed a dominant three-game sweep of Occidental College on Saturday, closing out the series with a 12-2 victory in game one and a resounding 20-0 shutout in game two at Anderson Field.
Game One: La Verne 12, Occidental 2
The Leopards opened Saturday's doubleheader with an offensive barrage, racking up 22 hits en route to a 12-2 win. Eight different La Verne players recorded multiple hits, led by Logan Corthell, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with four runs scored. Jason Givens added a three-hit, four-RBI effort, which included a solo home run in the fifth and two doubles.
La Verne wasted no time setting the tone, plating two runs in the opening frame and adding three more in the third. The Leopards would go on to score in eight of the nine innings.
Noah Garcia had a productive day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double, while Ryan Vosika and Benny Vogel tallied three hits each.
On the mound, Matthew Desmarets delivered another strong outing, tossing 6.1 innings while striking out eight and allowing just two earned runs. Gabriel Lucero, Cole Monsen, and Mikey Rogozik combined for 2.2 scoreless innings to seal the victory.
Game Two: La Verne 20, Occidental 0
The Leopards saved their most explosive performance for last, exploding for 21 hits and 20 runs in a run-rule shortened seven-inning shutout. Five La Verne pitchers combined for the two-hit masterpiece, led by starter Caughlin Shults, who struck out four in two innings to earn the win.
La Verne set the tone early with a power surge in the first inning, launching three consecutive home runs from Matt Rice, Logan Corthell, and Malachi Francois to jump out to a 4-0 lead. The offensive surge continued throughout the game, with the Leopards scoring in every inning except the second, including an explosive thirteen-run stretch spanning the fifth through seventh frames.
Isaiah Figueroa provided the biggest spark, belting two home runs and driving in a career-high six runs in a 2-for-2 performance off the bench. Vosika stayed red hot, going 4-for-6 with two RBIs and four runs, while Francois added a 3-for-3 line with his homerun, two RBIs, a walk, and a stolen base.
La Verne drew five walks, tallied eight hit-by-pitches, and recorded eight extra-base hits.
Up Next:
La Verne (26-6, 14-4 SCIAC) will head to Whittier on Friday, April 25, to open a crucial conference series against the Poets. First pitch is set for 3:00 PM.
