LOS ANGELES — The University of La Verne softball team used a four-run seventh inning to defeat Occidental, 6-2, in the second game of a doubleheader at Bell Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Leopards lost, 4-3, in Game 1.
An Occidental error proved crucial in the seventh inning. Angelica DeAngelo led off the inning with a single and a muffed grounder by the Oxy first baseman Morgan Giusti allowed her to move to third while putting on Raeleen Tellez at first.
Danielle Vela then hit an RBI grounder for the go-ahead run, BreeAnna De La Rosa followed with a bunt single and Katherine Kibbe cleared the bases with a triple down the left field line to give the Leopards a four-run lead.
Kibbe, who got the start in the circle, shut down the Tigers in the bottom of the seventh to finish off a complete game victory. She struck out eight giving up two runs on three hits.
De La Rosa paced La Verne's offense with a 3-for-4 performance at the late with two runs batted in.
Dallas Boyce went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Tigers and pitched all seven innings.
Game 1
The Leopards broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the top of the sixth inning but Occidental did one better, plating four in the bottom frame, to beat La Verne, 4-3, in Game 1.
Oxy's Alex Battest hit a three-run homer to start the rally then Olivia Thayer smacked a run-scoring triple to give Oxy the lead.
It was a pitchers' duel early, as both teams were held scoreless through the first five innings. Rebecca Ireland and Mackenzie Dutton set the table for the heart of the order with singles to lead of the inning and Alexis Schiff broke the scoring seal with two-run triple to deep right. Victoria Baltazar then hit a soft grounder back to the pitcher to score Schiff.
Thayer went all seven innings for Oxy to pick up the win. Rachel Hong was tagged with the loss for La Verne.
La Verne returns to action on Friday, Feb. 27 when it hosts Cal Lutheran for a doubleheader. First game starts at 1 p.m.
