LA VERNE, Calif. — The Leopards' bats could not be stopped.
The University of La Verne baseball team finished the day with 28 hits and 23 runs to win big over nonconference opponents Vassar and Rutgers-Newark.
Nicholas Michaels had a huge day for the Leopards, finishing the day with five RBI, four hits, three runs scored, and a double. The senior has notched at least one RBI in six of the last seven games including nine this week alone. He currently ranks fourth in the conference with 22 RBI this season.
Season Impact: The Leopards reach double-digit wins, improving to 11-8 overall.
Game One: La Verne 10, Vassar 3
Nine different Leopards recorded hits and La Verne took a 7-2 lead after three innings to run away with a win in Saturday's opener.
AJ Jimenez picked up the win, pitching five and a third innings of relief with three strikeouts and one earned run.
Jakob Thomas started a six-run rally in the third, tripling to center field to score Rudy Casarez III. Later in the inning with La Verne up one after an RBI by Michaels, Brandon Vogel tripled right with the bases loaded, putting three more runs on the board. Christopher Ligot finished off the inning with an RBI single.
The Leopards extended their lead in the eighth with Ligot and Jacob Benson both scoring off wild pitches and another Michaels' RBI.
Casarez, Vogel and Ryan Aguilar each swiped a base.
Game Two: La Verne 13, Rutgers-Newark 7
After falling to the Scarlet Raiders earlier in the week, the Leopards jumped out to an 8-0 lead after the first inning and led by 12 after three innings, rolling on their way to another win.
Casarez and Vogel each finished with three hits, and Michaels brought in three runs.
The Leopards got to work early, plating eight runs off six hits and an error in the first inning. Casarez set the pace, opening up the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff double. Ligot kept the rally going, singling with the bases juiced to bring in Michaels and Lukas Granado.
Michaels, Ligot, and Benson each finished with a pair of hits. Ligot added two RBI.
Cody Norman went five innings in his start to pick up his second win of the season. The sophomore struck out six.
Next Game: The Leopards finish the weekend with a 3 p.m. home game against Principia on Sunday.