LA VERNE, Calif. — If you're a fan of high scoring games, you would've loved the SCIAC Postseason Tournament opener.
The University of La Verne and Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens combined for a total 41 hits and the teams scored 17 runs in the sixth inning alone in Friday's game and the Leopards came away with a 24-14 win.
The top-seeded Leopards will now play No. 2 seed Redlands tomorrow at 11:30 p.m. at Ben Hines Field. The Leopards will serve as the visiting team.
The Bulldogs defeated Chapman 13-6 in their tournament opener. The Sagehens and Panthers will open day two of the tournament tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. All remaining tournament games will be played at Ben Hines Field.
Christopher Peres had an outstanding day at the plate, finishing with six RBI on a 4-6 hitting with a double.
Jakob Thomas added five RBI of his own with four coming off a grand slam in the fifth.
Brandon Vogel and Adam Santa Cruz both finished with three RBI and two hits.
Nicholas Michaels went 4-6 at the plate with an RBI. Christopher Ligot added three hits and scored five times. Jacob Benson added three hits with two RBI and three runs.
Already leading 6-4 in the fifth, Thomas stepped up to plate with the bases juiced and hit a jack over the left center fence for the grand slam to put the Leopards up 10-2.
The Sagehens responded quickly, scoring seven runs off five hits and an error in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to just one run. But La Verne surged back in front just as quickly, scoring 10 runs off eight hits and an error in the bottom half of the inning to end the threat.
Cody Norman picked up the win on the mound, going five and a third innings with five strikeouts.
SCIAC Tournament Schedule
Friday, May 4
Game 1: La Verne 24, Pomona-Pitzer 14
Game 2: Redlands 13, Chapman 6
Saturday, May 5 - All games at La Verne
Game 3: Pomona-Pitzer vs. Chapman - 8:30 a.m.
Game 4: La Verne vs. Redlands - 11:30 a.m.
Game 5: winner of game 3 v. loser of game 4 - 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 6 - All games at La Verne
Game 6: Championship Game - 11 a.m.
Game 7: If necessary - 30 minutes following game 6