Nate Rodriguez, Sports Information Intern

La Verne, CA – The University of La Verne Leopard's SCIAC championship season ended with a 16-8 loss to the #3 seed Chapman University Panthers. The Leos tried to rally late in the game but the lead turned out to be insurmountable, and La Verne was eliminated from the postseason tournament.

The Leopards' bright spot was their offense, tallying eight runs on nine hits. Their lone extra base hit was a double by Aiden Salcedo in his first plate appearance late in the ballgame. Ryan Vosika was the team's most consistent threat, reaching at every at-bat and leading the team with three hits. Chase Siffert flashed his bat-to-ball skills with a slash attempt that turned into an RBI single. He and Cameron Slessor led the team with two RBIs each.

Head coach Scott Winterburn and his Coaching Staff of the Year won 28 games this season, clinching the team's first SCIAC regular season championship since 2018. His five all-SCIAC nominees were tied for most in the Conference. The Leopards participated in the SCIAC postseason tournament in back-to-back years, falling just short of the glory in 2023.

(photo by Monica Garcia-Silva)