The University of La Verne baseball team opened its 2012 campaign with a doubleheader split against NAIA counterpart Biola University, taking the first game 7-6 after 10 innings before suffering a 4-1 setback in the nightcap Saturday in La Mirada.
In the opener, George Hanna tripled to lead off the 10th inning and Dylan Leong followed with a single through the left side to score Hanna for the game-winner.
After Biola got on the board first scoring a run in the second inning, the Leos would take the lead in the fourth inning scoring three runs. Jason Moralez singled through the right side to score Bryce Roenicke who had reached on a lead off walk. Ramos, who had singled, scored the second run for the Leopards off a wild pitch. The third run was scored by Moralez, after Leong walked when the bases were loaded.
The Eagles would tie the game with a run each in the fourth and fifth innings to knot the contest at 3-3. Both teams would score a run in the eighth inning. In the ninth, The Leopards took a 6-4 lead on an RBI single from Zach Canfield followed by a 2-run single by Moralez. Biola would once again tie the contest with back-to-back doubles to send the game into extra innings, setting up Leong's single to plate Hanna winning run in the 10th.
Leong went 3-4 at the plate with 2 RBIs with Moralez finished 2-4 with 3 RBIs. The win went to Sean Fasig who pitched one inning and the save went to Kevin Knight who came into pitch the 10th inning.
In the second game of the doubleheader, La Verne struck first, scoring a run in the first inning after Hanna led off with a single through the left side. After he reached second base from error, Jacob Ludvik hit an RBI single to score Hanna.
Biola went on to score a run in each of the next four innings, keeping the Leopards at just one run. The Eagles held their 4-1 lead through the seven-inning game to take the victory.
Biola pitcher Chris Baek earned the win after six innings of work. The loss went to Phil Schick.
La Verne will start SCIAC action this Friday as they take on the Caltech Beavers in a 3-game series, which will end in a doubleheader on Saturday. Friday's game will start at 2:30PM at Caltech.
