PASADENA — Javi Iñiguez pitched 6.2 scoreless innings in relief, Christopher Ligot collected four hits and the University of La Verne baseball team beat Caltech, 11-2, on Friday afternoon at North Field.
La Verne improves to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the SCIAC. Caltech falls to 1-2 and 0-1.
Iñiguez took the mound in the third inning after starter Brett Early struggled with command issues. Iñiguez inherited three runners and did walk in a batter in the same inning, but was lights out rest of the way. The senior gave up just one hit—an infield single—and struck out four in 6.2 innings to pick up his first win of the season.
Ligot, a freshman, went 4-for-5 at the plate and knocked in two runs. Daniel McDonnell recorded two hits and plated two runs, and Andrew Douglas had a hit and three RBI.
La Verne struck early. The Leopards drew two straight two-out walks in the first inning and McDonnell and Ligot made the Beavers pay with consecutive doubles to give the Leopards a 3-0 lead.
The Leopards went to score a run in each of the next four innings to take control and never looked back.
Jakob Thomas, who spent most of the last season at hot corner for La Verne, got the start behind the plate and hit in the three-hole. He drew three bases on balls and scored three runs.
Christopher Peres, another freshman who has gotten off to a good start for La Verne, extended his hit streak to four games to start his college career and batted in two runs with a double.
Daniel Chou, Connor Moffatt and Dylan Schultz each got a hit for the Beavers.
The Leopards host the Beavers tomorrow at Campus West for a doubleheader. First game starts at 11 a.m.