LA VERNE, CA — Sienna Kendricks finished with two home runs, Shelby Tevis hit a bomb in game two and the University of La Verne softball team rolled on their way to two wins over the visiting Occidental College Tigers on Friday afternoon.
Season Impact
The wins were huge for the Leopards who look to earn a SCIAC Postseason Tournament berth for the fifth season in a row. With the wins and a pair of Redlands losses, the Leopards now have a two-game cushion for the fourth and final spot.
The Leopards improve to 15-17 overall and 11-9 in SCIAC play. The Tigers fall to 4-27 overall and 3-17 in conference play.
Game One: La Verne 5, Occidental 0
Kendricks put the Leopards up early, hitting a two-run shot over the right-center fence to bring in Gabriella Underwood for the opening 2-0 lead.
The Leopards added a run in each of the next two innings first off an RBI infield single by Tevis that scored Carly Condon and then an off an RBI double by Kendricks that brought home Underwood.
Jiana Rojo was stellar in the circle for La Verne, allowing just three hits in the game with three strikeouts to pick up her eighth win of the year.
Justice Borden added an RBI in the fifth that scored Katheryn Navarro. Underwood, Condon, and Kendricks each finished with three hits.
Game Two: La Verne 15, Occidental 3 (Five Innings)
The Leopards dominated in game two, needing just four innings at the plate to pile on 15 runs.
Nine different Leopards recorded at least one RBI in the win.
Tevis had one of her best offensive games of the season, leading La Verne with four RBI, three of them coming in the fourth when she hit a three-run bomb over the left field fence.
Kendricks hit her second home run of the game in the third, a solo shot over center field. The right fielder finished the game 3-3 at the plate with three runs.
Navarro had an outstanding all-around game. At the plate, she went 2-3 with two runs and in the circle, she picked up her seventh win, striking out two in the process.
Borden went 2-3 with a run and an RBI. Ashley Soto, Kayla Giannatasio, and Tauney Mack all scored twice and hit in a run.
Rachel Ogata and Underwood both added one RBI and one run.
Bailey Stevens led Occidental with a two-run home run.
Next Game
The Leopards have a big match-up tomorrow against No. 5 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The Athenas suffered their first SCIAC loss of the season on Friday in a 4-3 setback against Pomona-Pitzer.
The Leopards played tough against the Athenas earlier this season, narrowly falling 8-7 in eight innings in their first and dropping a 5-3 game in the backend of the doubleheader. Tomorrow's games are slated to begin at noon at Campus West.
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