The University of La Verne baseball team took the series opener against the Occidental Tigers in earning a 9-5 victory in the first of a three-game conference set on Friday afternoon at Anderson Field in Eagle Rock.

La Verne's offense was highlighted by a four-run sixth inning which included a solo homer from Jason Moralez over the left field wall.

The Leopards got on the board early with two runs in the first inning. George Hanna and Jacob Ludvik lead off with back-to-back doubles to score the first run. Albert Ramos' sacrifice fly scored the second run of the inning.

Occidental responded with three runs in the bottom half to go up 3-2 on two doubles, a throwing error and a sac fly. 

The lead was short-lived as La Verne plated two runs in top of the second inning to grab a 4-3 advantage.  Ross Hebert led off with a bunt single, advanced to second on a groundout and came in to score on an RBI double from Zach Canfield.  A single by Hanna would drive in Canfield as the Leos reclaimed the lead.

In the sixth, La Verne scored four times to go up 8-3. With runners on first and second, Hanna reached on a Tiger throwing error to score the first run. The next two runs were scored off sacrifice flies by Ludvik and Bryce Roenicke. The final run of the inning came from Moralez's homer.

Oxy tallied two more runs on four hits in the bottom of the sixth to close the gap to 8-5, but La Verne held on in the final three innings.  La Verne added an insurance run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single from Canfield to score Mason Stoltenberg for a four-run Leopard lead.

Canfield went 4 for 4 with 2 RBIs, two doubles and 2 runs scored. Ludvik went 1 for 4 with 2 RBIs, one double and one run scored. Hanna also did well at the plate with two hits, including a double, one RBI and two runs scored.

Nathan Rollon pitched five innings, striking out three batters, to pick up his second victory this season. Anthony Cerafice pitched the final three innings, striking out four batters, to earn the save.

With the win La Verne improves to 8-3 overall and 4-0 in SCIAC.  Oxy drops to 8-4 overall and 3-1 in conference action.

The Leopards and Tigers resume the series with a doubleheader Saturday at Cougar Baseball Field on the campus of Azusa Pacific University.  First pitch is scheduled for 11 am.