A pitcher's duel between La Verne starter Kevin Knight and Chapman University's Justin Hanks would tip in favor of the Panthers as La Verne suffered a 1-0 defeat Friday afternoon at Hart Park in Orange.

Knight, who entered Friday's contest with a record of 2-0 and an impressive 0.92 ERA, was solid in his seven innings of work but a leadoff single by Chapman's Adam Velez in the bottom of the eighth would give Chapman the baserunner needed to pull ahead.  Velez would advance on a sacrifice bunt and then score on a base-hit up the middle bringing across the would-be winning run.

The Leopards did manage to bring a run across in the top of the eighth as George Hanna singled in Adrian Franco but Chapman would succesfully appeal that Franco's foot did not come in contact with the base resulting in the run being negated. 

La Verne would pressure again in the top-half of the ninth with two runners on but wouldn't convert falling 1-0 to Chapman in the first of three SCIAC clashes between the two squads.  The game marked the first-ever conference meeting between the schools.

Hanna and Franco both had multi-hit days for the Leopards.  Knight suffered the loss and is now 2-1 on the year.

La Verne (5-3, 2-2 SCIAC) takes on Chapman once again Saturday in a doubleheader at Mt. SAC beginning at 11 a.m.