La Verne, Calif. — Junior Carly Condon hit a solo shot to center field, and that was all the offense the University of La Verne softball team needed, beating the visiting Whitworth Pirates 1-0 Saturday afternoon.
Season Impact: The Leopards improve to 1-1 on the season.
Whitworth drops to 1-2.
Condon, who left the yard five times last season, stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the fifth with two outs and both teams scoreless. The Santa Monica native then connected, launching the ball over dead center for what proved to be the difference maker.
Condon finished the day with a pair of hits. She also came up big defensively in the fourth, snatching a long shot from Allie Rude at the wall.
Elisa Ponce pitched a stellar game, picking up her first win of the season. The junior struck out seven batters in a complete game performance and walked just two batters. Ponce led the Leopards in the circle last season with 93 strikeouts.
Shelby Tevis nearly had a solo home run of her own in the bottom of the second. The shortstop just missed clearing the fence, doubling off the wall.
Michelle Deguzman finished the day 1-2 from the plate.
Pitcher Ashley Trueblood took the loss for Whitworth.
Game Two: Whitworth 4, La Verne 3 (8 Innings)
The Leopards tied the game in the fourth inning off an RBI single by Shelby Tevis that scored Rachel Ogata, but the Pirates scored a pair of runs in the eighth inning to salvage a split against the Leopards.
With the international tiebreaker rule in effect heading into extra innings, placing a runner on second base, Kinsey McNaught laid down a bunt to move the runner to third. But a throwing error by the Leopards allowed the runner to score and placed McNaught on third.
The Pirates added another run on a sacrifice fly to go up 4-2.
La Verne put up a fight in the bottom half of the inning. With Ogata on third, DeAngelo hit a shot to deep center just short of the wall to score one, but the Pirates threw DeAngelo out at second to end the game.
Mellisa Garcia gave the Leopards the opening lead of the game. Hitting a solo home run to left field, her first of the year, for the 1-0 lead.
Garcia and Tevis each finished with a pair of hits.
Katheryn Navarro pitched a complete game for the Leopards, striking out six. Madelyn Carlson got the win for Whitworth.
Next Game: The Leopards return to the field next Saturday for more non-conference action as La Verne hosts the Saint Katherine Firebirds. The doubleheader is set to begin at noon.
