The University of La Verne earned a doubleheader split against the University of Redlands on Saturday. After the Bulldogs took the first game 6-1, the Leopards earned the victory in the second with a 9-6 come-from-behind win at Mazmanian Field on the Mt. SAC campus.
In the second game La Verne trailed 5-1, but an eight-run eighth inning put the Leos on top to stay. It was Zach Canfield who scored the winning runs with his 2 RBI single up the middle. George Hanna followed with a triple to right field, adding two insurance runs.
The inning started off with Canfield getting hit by a pitch. After a Leopard strikeout, Jacob Ludvik also got hit putting runners on first and second. Bryce Roenicke's ground out would advance the runners. Redlands then made a pitching change as Brock Jacobo entered the game for the Bulldogs.
With two outs on the board, Jason Moralez became the third batter to get hit, loading the bases. An RBI walk by Cody Hazel scored the first run, and Albert Ramos was the fourth batter hit by a pitch, scored the second. Mason Stoltenberg's at bat would result in another hit-by-pitch and a third run scored. The fourth run came from Adrian Franco's RBI walk. With the bases still loaded, The Leopards score in more conventional fashion on Canfield's single and Hanna's triple to put the Leopards on top 9-5.
Earlier in the game, the Bulldogs scored four runs at the top of fifth inning off of three hits and a Leopard error. This was highlighted by a two-run homer over the right field wall by Trenton Lively. La Verne was able to score a run in the bottom of the inning off of an RBI single by Franco.
After the Leopards were able to score their eight runs, Redlands tried to rally back with a lead off triple by Chase Tucker. Sean McMillan doubled to score Tucker. With a runner on third, Anthony Cerafice struck out the final two batters to hold on to the win.
Ross Hebert earned the win after pitching two innings, while Cerafice picked up the save after pitching the ninth.
In the first game, both team scored a run in the first inning. La Verne's run came from lead off back-to-back doubles by Hanna and Ludvik. The game would be knotted at one until the Bulldogs had an explosive offensive sixth inning, scoring five runs to give them their 6-1 victory.
Lively singled and Nathanial Acosta tripled to score their first run of the inning. Landon McMath singled followed by a triple from Cameron Lowe scored two more runs for the Bulldogs. Another single and a Leopard error would score the final two runs for the Bulldogs. La Verne had runners in scoring position, throughout the game but were unable to capitalize, resulting in a 6-1 Bulldog victory.
Paul Dippel earned the win for Redlands after pitching six innings. The loss went to Phil Schick.
The twinbill split with the Bulldogs allowed La Verne to take two of three games in the weekend set. The Leopards are now 11-5 overall and 7-2 in conference action, tied with Cal Lutheran atop the SCIAC standings. Redlands is 6-8 overall and 3-6 in SCIAC.
La Verne continues league action this Friday as it begins a three-game series against Pomona-Pitzer at Mt. SAC on Friday, followed by a doubleheader against the Sagehens in Claremont on Saturday. Friday's game will start at 7:30 pm.
