The University of La Verne baseball team suffered its first shutout loss of the season as Pomona-Pitzer broke open a scoreless tie in the eighth inning to topple the Leopards 3-0 in the first game of a three-game series Friday at Ben Hines Field.
The Leopards loaded the bases in both the first and ninth innings, but could not get a run across as the Sagehens (10-2, 7-0 SCIAC) remained unbeaten in SCIAC play.
In the first, La Verne (6-6, 4-3 SCIAC) had three runners on with one out, but Sagehen starter David Colvin struck out the next two batters to hold the Leopards without a run.
Colvin and Leopard starter Matt Baudino were locked in a pitching duel as both held the respective offensives in check through the first seven innings.
In the top of the eighth, Pomona-Pitzer's Nick Frederick reached on an error and advanced to third base on a Teddy Bingham single. Frederick plated the first run of the game, scoring on a wild pitch to give the Hens a 1-0 lead. Two outs later, James Campbell hit a 2-run homer to put the Hens up 3-0.
La Verne threatened in the bottom of the ninth on a double by Aaron Coopman followed by a hit-by-pitch on Jason Moralez and a Joe Buckley pinch-hit single. But with two out, the Hens ended the contest with a strikeout to preserve the shutout win.
The two teams resume action on Saturday with a scheduled doubleheader in Claremont beginning at 11 am.