LA VERNE, Calif. — Carly Condon and Alexis Schiff came up with clutch hits and the La Verne softball team turned a triple play to seal a 5-1 win over Pomona-Pitzer in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday at Campus West.
In the second game, the Leopards scored the game's first seven runs to cruise to a 9-3 win and complete the sweep.
Game 1: La Verne 5, Pomona-Pitzer 1
La Verne starter Elisa Ponce and Pomona-Pitzer's Liz Rodarte matched each other pitch-for-pitch for most of the game but the Leopards broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth inning. With the game tied at 1-1, leadoff hitter Michelle Deguzman reached on an error in the outfield and Rachel Ogata hit a bunt single to put the runners on the corners. Condon then smacked a triple to left center and Schiff followed up with a line drive home run over the left field fence to give the Leopards a 5-1 lead.
The Leopards sealed the win with a triple play in the top of the seventh inning.
The Sagehens put runners on the corners with no outs to open the innning and Sofia Baig tried to squeeze in a run with a bunt. But she just got under a pitch and the first baseman Schiff snatched the pop up to record the first out. She then fired it to second baseman Michelle Deguzman, who was covering first, and Deguzman threw to third to catch Haylee Sindt, who had nearly reached home before she had to turn back.
Elisa Ponce (8-2) pitched a complete game, giving up just one run without giving up a walk.
Condon and Schiff each went 1-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored. Deguzman was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run.
Marya Ornelas, Cockrell and Sindt had two hits apiece for the Sagehens.
Liz Rodarte (6-10) had seven strikeouts in loss.
Game 2: La Verne 9, Pomona-Pitzer 3
Sienna Kendricks went 2-for-5, including a grand slam home run, and drove in five runs to lead the Leopards to a 9-3 win in the nightcap.
The Leopards loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the third and Kendricks hit a no-doubter over the left field fence to open the scoring. The Leopards tacked on another run on a throwing error at second and Rachel Ogata capped it off with an RBI single to center, giving the Leoaprds a 6-0 lead.
Kendricks came through again in the next inning, driving in Haley Gomez with a two-out single.
The Sagehens go on the board with a two-run single by Alondra Reynoso in the top of the fifth but La Verne struck for two more on back-to-back two-out singles by Ogata and Condon in the bottom half of the frame keep a seven-run cushion.
Pomona-Pitzer loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh but La Verne reliever Ashley Caro kept the damage to one run off a fielder's choice.
Hayley Jaquess (7-3) was perfect through the first four innings before running into some trouble in the fifth. She still earned the win, going 4.1 innings while giving up two runs on three hits.
Ogata, Condon and Schiff each had two hits.
Up next
The Leopards are back in action tomorrow at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
