LA VERNE, Calif. — Pacific Lutheran used a pair of big offensive innings to beat the University of La Verne baseball team, 14-6, in seven innings on Friday afternoon at Ben Hines Field.
La Verne falls to 16-9 overall. Pacific Lutheran improves to 16-14.
The Leopards got out to a swift start as they scored a run in each of the first two innings and starter Brent Backlund cruised through the two innings without much trouble.
But the Lutes exploded for five runs in the top of the third as pieced together four hits, two walks and a hit batter to get out to a 5-2 lead and never looked back.
Pacific Lutheran started the top of the fifth with four consecutive hits and went on to score six more runs to put the game out of reach.
The Lutes extended the lead to as much as 14-2 and looked to finish the game early, but the Leopards did not go down quietly. Christopher Ligot led off with a single, advanced on a wild pitch and moved to third on a groundout by Nolan Henley. Woody Reyes then plated Ligot with an infield single to second to cut the lead to 14-3. The Leopards drew two straight walks to load the bases and Ben White broke up the Lute's run-rule win bid with a two-RBI single up the middle.
Christopher Ligot and Woody Reyes led the Leopards with two hits apiece. Christopher Peres and Ben White each had one hit.
Pacific Luthern amassed 17 hits and Cole Johnson led the way with a 5-for-5 performance at the plate while knocking in three runs and scoring two. Kyler Blades was 3-for-4 with four runs batted in.
The Leopards face the Lutes again tomorrow starting at noon.