LOS ANGELES — Javi Iniguez was nails through eight innings, Ben White slugged a three-run home run and the University of La Verne baseball team
defeated Occidental, 10-8, at Anderson Field on Friday afternoon.
La Verne improves to 13-3 in SCIAC play (16-10 overall) to remain in sole possession of first place in the standings. Oxy falls to 17-10 overall and 13-6 in the SCIAC.
Iniguez (4-2) tossed eight-plus innings while giving up four runs on 11 hits to pick up his fourth win of the season. He had only given up two runs through eight, but gave up two consecutive hits to start the bottom of the ninth both of which came around to score later in the inning.
White finished 3-for-3 with four RBI and three runs scored. In the top of the fourth, he cranked one over the center field fence to give La Verne an 8-0 lead. He was a triple shy of the cycle.
The Leopards took advantage of three Occidental fielding miscues—all with two outs—to push across five runs in the top of the third. White broke the scoring seal with a two-out single to plate Woody Reyes and advanced to second as the Oxy left fielder Jake Chambers muffed the ball. Jakob Thomas followed with a single to score White and Mark Jebbia legged out an infield single to put two runners on for Zach Quinones. Quinones then reached with an error at second and Chambers let another one go through his legs on a Nolan Henley single to allow the Leopards to score two more.
Oxy staged a furious ninth inning rally to make things interesting. After they chased Iniguez in the ninth, the Tigers followed came through with a walk, a double, a single and a triple to score five runs and got within 10-8 on a wild pitch with just one out. But Nick Byrd got the next two batters to seal the win for La Verne.
Thomas and Tyler Watkins each had three hits for the Leopards. Jebbia and Reyes added two apiece.
Victor Munoz was 4-for-4 for Oxy and Johnathan Brooks went 3-for-4.
La Verne returns home to host the Tigers for a doubleheader tomorrow at Ben Hines Field. First game starts at 11 a.m.