LA VERNE, CA — In a game worthy of a championship finale, the University of La Verne baseball team rallied past Pomona-Pitzer for a dramatic 9-7 victory on Sunday afternoon at Ben Hines Field to claim the 2025 SCIAC Tournament Championship—its first since 2015.

With tensions running high and momentum swinging throughout the afternoon, the game stretched 3 hours and 26 minutes and had all the makings of a classic. Pomona-Pitzer jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Leopards stormed back with a six-run third inning to take control. 

The Sagehens clawed back to tie the game and briefly pulled ahead 7-6 in the eighth on a La Verne error, but the Leopards answered emphatically in the bottom half. Ryan Vosika led off with a single and later scored the tying run on Nate Perry's RBI knock. Moments later, Matthew Rice delivered his third hit of the game-a go-ahead RBI single-and Aidan Salcedo added a sacrifice fly to give La Verne a two-run cushion entering the ninth.

Vosika, who had another strong day at the plate and scored the game-tying run, was named the SCIAC Tournament Most Valuable Player after a standout postseason performance. 

Gabriel Lucero earned the win out of the bullpen, while Matthew Desmarets locked down the save in the ninth to seal La Verne's 34th victory of the season. Rice led the offense, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs, while Perry added two RBIs and two walks. Jason Givens also chipped in with two runs scored and an RBI. 

With the win, the Leopards (34-9) earn the SCIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Their continued postseason path will be revealed during the 2025 NCAA Division III Baseball Selection Show, airing Monday, May 12 at 9 a.m. PT on NCAA.com. A link to the show will be featured on the front page of the site.

For La Verne, the championship not only breaks a decade-long drought-it marks a powerful statement about the program's continued rise and determination to contend on the national stage.