The University of La Verne baseball team won its opening two games in the California Classic in completely different fashion.
The Leopards offense was on constant display in the first game in a 20-10 win over Puget Sound, while the pitching and defense shined in a 4-0 triumph over Menlo in the second game Friday at Ben Hines Field.
Against Puget Sound, the Leopards scored in all seven innings to earn a rare mercy-rule victory. The Loggers went up 3-0 in the top of the first on an RBI double by Matt Cox and 2-run homer from Chaz Kramer.
But the Leoaprds would not trail for long.
La Verne posted four runs in the bottom half of the inning as Sergio Munoz's leadoff homer highlighted a four-run inning.
After UPS added a run in the second to tie the game at 4-4, the Leopards added a pair of runs on three hits. Mike Surina hit an RBI single while Joe Buckley induced a bases loaded walk to take a 6-4 lead.
Leading 7-6, the Leopards added three runs on two hits and an error in the fourth inning to claim a 10-6 advantage. The Loggers responded with a run in the fifth and three in the sixth to close the gap to 11-10.
In the bottom of the sixth, La Verne erupted for five runs, highlighted by a Victor Peinado grand slam, to pad the lead to 16-10. After holding Puget Sound scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Leos added four runs to invoke the mercy rule.
Each of the seven batters in the bottom of the seventh reached base as La Verne tallied four runs on just two hits. In addition, the Leos were the beneficiary of two hit batsmen and a walk. Buckley walked while Surina and Hazel were both hit by pitches. Leading 19-10, Hazel was hit with the bases loaded to end the game.
Peinado was 4-6 at the plate with 4 RBI and 4 runs scored. Munoz was 3-5 with 4 runs and 2 RBI with Surina going 2-3 with 3 runs and 2 RBI.
Against Menlo, the Leopards received a solid pitching effort from starter Mark Larini, who went 6.1 innings with relief help from Anthony Cerafice (1.2 innings) and David Contreras (1.0) to help preserve the shutout. Contreras struck out the side the ninth to end the game.
Munoz led off the game with a triple and scored on a Jon-Michael Hattabaugh sacrifice fly to put La Verne up 1-0 in the top of the first.
The Leopards added two more runs in the third on a Peinado double and a sacrifice fly from Buckley to pad the lead to 3-0. Hazel added insurance with a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth to give La Verne a 4-0 advantage.
Menlo had runners reach third in both the fifth and eighth innings, but runners were stranded at third on both occasions.
Hazel and Surina went 2-4 with Peinado finishing 2-5.
La Verne (11-8) continues Cal Classic action on Sunday as it takes on Rutgers-Newark at 9:30 am followed by a non-conference game against SCIAC member Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at 2:30 pm.
Game 1: LV 20, UPS 10
Game 2: LV 4, MC 0
