The University of La Verne baseball team suffered a 5-1 loss against Cal Lutheran in SCIAC action Friday evening at Mazmanian Field in Walnut.  

As a result the Kingsmen, ranked No. 7 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Division III Poll, clinched the No. 1 seed for SCIAC pool play beginning next week.

Cal Lutheran (26-6-1, 19-3 SCIAC) built a quick 4-0 lead in the top of the second, scattering four consecutive singles with two outs.  La Verne would respond with a trio of singles from Josh Surdo, Jason Moralez, and Jared Hovsepian.  Hovsepian's single to the right center gap would score Surdo and bring La Verne within three at 4-1. 

The Kingsmen would threaten with runners on second and third with one out in the top of the fifth but Leopard starter Kevin Knight would work out of the jam striking out one and forcing an inning ending weak grounder. 

The contest would remain at 4-1 until the top of the eighth when Cal Lu would capitalize on a wild-pitch from the Leopards reliever scoring an insurance run that would cement the game at 5-1.

La Verne starter Kevin Knight went 7.0 innings giving up five earned on 11 hits.  Hovsepian anchored the Leopard lineup with his 4 for 5 performance that drove in La Verne's lone RBI.  Brandon Montalvo added an inning of scoreless relief for La Verne.

La Verne is now 19-13 overall and 13-9 in SCIAC action and will travel to Thousand Oaks to conclude the series with a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 am.