Kibbe does it all at Pomona-Pitzer, Softball splits

Kibbe does it all at Pomona-Pitzer, Softball splits

CLAREMONT, Calif. — Now she's doing it from the plate.

Katherine Kibbe, who had tossed two shutouts in a row coming into the day, cranked a go-ahead two-run home run and pitched another complete game to lift the University of La Verne softball team past Pomona-Pitzer, 5-2, in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday.

Kibbe's first bomb of the season couldn't have come at a better time. With the Leopards trailing 2-1 in the sixth inning and Mackenzie Dutton at second, Kibbe launched one over the wall to give the Leopards a 3-2 lead.

Kibbe then kept the Sagehens scoreless in the final two innings to pick up her ninth win of the season. She scattered seven hits over seven innings, struck out a batter and induced two double plays.

Dutton wasn't shabby at the plate. The junior was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in two insurance runs in the top of the seventh with a long single to right.

Pomona-Pitzer's runs—and Kibbe's only blemish—came in the first inning via a two-run home run by Susanne Boden.

Danielle Vela put the Leopards on the board in the third with an RBI single. She finished 2-for-4 and scored a run.

Rebecca Ireland went 2-for-4.

The Leopards lost the first game, 6-3.

A three-run home run by Kelsey Buchanan in the first inning proved the final difference.

La Verne got on the board first in the first inning with an error and cut the deficit to 4-2 in the third on another error.

Angelica DeAngelo hit her first collegiate homer to lead off the top of the seventh but the Leopards could not complete the rally.

Vela was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

With the split, La Verne moves to 11-9 in SCIAC play (16-16 overall) while Pomona-Pitzer is 13-19 overall and 8-12 in the SCIAC.

La Verne returns to action next Friday against Whittier at Campus West. First game starts at 4 p.m.