LA VERNE, CA – The University of La Verne baseball team tied the Whitman College Blues 9-9 on Sunday afternoon, despite leading by five in the ninth inning.
Zachary Janczyk led the lineup with a 2-4 day, scoring three times and driving in two runs, while launching his first collegiate home run. Aidan Salcedo was perfect off the bench, going 2-2 with a pair of RBIs, while Isaac Barrales finished 2-5 with a run and an RBI.
RJ Libby chipped in with two hits and drove in a run, Levi Altimarano crossed the plate twice, and Alek Bautista went 2-4 with a run scored. Nathan Perry and Isaiah Figueroa each added an RBI, helping round out a balanced offensive output.
The scoring started early for both teams. After the Blues scored in the first, the Leos responded with four of their own in the bottom half. Altimarano was hit by a pitch to start the rally, and Janczyk followed with a double to right field, moving Altimarano to third. Figueroa then reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, allowing both Janczyk and Altimarano to score. Perry kept the momentum going with a double to left center, bringing home Figueroa, and Barrales capped the inning with a single up the middle to drive in run number four.
In the third, Barrales sparked the offense again with a triple to center field, and RJ Libby drove him in with a single through the right side. The Leopards added two more in the fourth when Altimarano reached on a fielding error, followed by the first collegiate home run for Janczyk.
Two more crossed in the seventh to extend the lead to five. Bautista was hit by a pitch and later advanced as Christian Takahashi reached on a fielder's choice. Salcedo delivered a clutch single to right field, bringing in both Takahashi and Bautista.
Despite the 9-4 score, the bullpen struggled to get the last three outs and allowed five runs to send the game to the bottom of the ninth. La Verne failed to score, and due to travel logistics, both coaches agreed to end the non-conference matchup as a tie.
Eight pitchers were used by the Leos in the game. Holden Jones started and went .2 innings, allowing two earned runs. He was then followed by Mikey Rogozik, Rudy O'Dell, Thomas Villanueva, Aiden Nunez, Aaron Whobrey, Jordan Mansfield, and Zenen Pena. O'Dell was the best pitcher of the day, tossing three innings of one-run ball while striking out five.
Up next, the Leopards will resume SCIAC play as they travel to Pasadena to take on Caltech this Friday at 3 p.m. The series will shift to Ben Hines on Saturday, as the two squads will wrap up the season series with a doubleheader at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
