LOS ANGELES — The University of La Verne baseball team traveled to Los Angeles to face Occidental College in game one of a three game set, dropping Friday's match up to the Tigers 12-7.
 
RJ Libby went four for five at the plate and brought in five runs, highlighted by a three-run home run down the right field line. Nathan Perry picked up three hits while Ryan Vosika, Isaiah Figuroa and Jake Ledford all collected two. Vosika recorded an RBI, along with Lucas Zayac, who tallied a hit. On the mound, starter Andrew Wente pitched 2.1 innings, allowing two runs off one hit.

Libby hit his go ahead, three run home run in the top of the seventh inning. The Leopards and Tigers were all knotted up at four runs a piece until Libby made contact with the ball, putting La Verne up by three runs, but Occidental responded quickly, tying the game back up at seven in the bottom half of the inning.

Occidental claimed their lead back in the bottom of the eighth inning, striking for five runs off four hits and an error, taking a 12-7 lead into the top of the ninth and the Leopards last at bats.

Vosika and Libby led off the ninth with back-to-back singles. Both came around to score when newcomer Thomas Villanueva singled to right field to make the score 12-9, but that would be as close as La Verne got as Occidental held on to secure the game one victory.

Tigers' reliever Malcolm Munnich received the win while the loss was pinned on Justin Ries.

Up Next: La Verne will welcome the Tigers to Campus West tomorrow for a Saturday doubleheader, with game times set for 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.