CLAREMONT, Calif. — Katheryn Navarro is developing a bit of a reputation.
The freshman, who tallied four RBI on four hits and earned big save in the circle last Sunday, hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning to lift the La Verne softball team to a 3-1 victory over Pomona-Pitzer in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday.
She also went seven innings in the circle and gave up just one run while fanning seven to pick up her second win of the year (2-0).
In a pitchers' duel, the Leopards struck first in the fourth on an RBI double by Justice Borden.
Bianca Cockrell answered with a solo homer in the sixth inning for the Sagehens and the teams held in the seventh inning to go to extras.
Rachel Ogata led off the top of the eighth inning for La Verne with a single but Carly Condon and Alexis Schiff quickly went down, bringing Navarro to the plate with two outs. Navarro promptly pulled one to deep left for the first home run of her career.
Hayley Jaquess took over for Navarro in the eighth inning, gave up a leadoff single but sat the next three batters down in order to earn the save.
Pomona-Pitzer's Liz Rodarte (1-3) went the distance in the circle in loss.
Shelby Tevis played the hero in the second game as she blasted a game-winning two-run homer in the top of the fifth inning in a 2-1 win.
After the Leopards went up 2-0 on Tevis's home run, the Sagehens looked to respond immediately as Sam Carlson doubled in the bottom of the fifth and Marya Ornelas brought her in with a single to make it 2-1. But Elisa Ponce got the next batter to line out and Hayley Jaquess closed the door with two shutout innings to preserved the win for La Verne.
Ponce (3-0) pitched five solid innings to earn the win. She gave up one run on five hits and struck out three.
Jaquess took over in the sixth inning and pitched two scoreless innings to pick up her second save of the day.
Carly Condon went 2-for-2. Rachel Ogata and Sienna Kendricks each had a hit for La Verne.
Bianca Cockrell was tagged with the loss, giving up two runs in five innings.
The Leopards are back in action next Saturday against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.