ORANGE, Calif. – The University of La Verne baseball team dropped both games of its doubleheader against Chapman at Hart Field on Saturday.
Game 1: Chapman 16, La Verne 4
La Verne (3-7, 2-4 SCIAC) fell behind early and was unable to gain momentum in a 16-4 loss in Game 1.
The Panthers jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first inning. After a quick first out, Tim Alhanati homered to put the first run on the board and Chapman put together four more hits in the inning to create a four-run cushion. Tyler Cook and Greg Dillon each beat out infield singles and Matt Gandy laced a single to right to plate Cook. The Panthers then used smart base running to score two more runs on stolen base throw attempts to second base.
The Chapman lead ballooned to 9-0 when the scored five runs in the third and fourth innings. The Panthers loaded the bases to lead off the third, then John Wiehe knocked in two with a single to right field. Chapman loaded the bases again in the fourth and plated three more to get further ahead.
La Verne broke the scoring seal in the fifth inning. Nolan Henley and George Hanna singled, and Joe Winterburn came through with a double to deep right center to plate two for the Leopards. Winterburn then came around to score on a throwing error by Alhanati to get La Verne within 9-3.
But Chapman (6-4, 4-2 SCIAC) answered right back in the next two innings to pull away. The Panthers scored two in the fifth on Eddie Aguayo's and Mark Saatzer's RBI hits and tacked on five more in the sixth with the help of Andrew Carbajal's grand slam.
Hanna was 1 for 2 with an RBI and George Holland was 2 for 2 with a run scored.
Game 2: Chapman 10, La Verne 1
Ben White hit the first home run of the season for the Leopards, but Chapman scored at least a run in each of the first five innings and La Verne lost 10-1 in the afternoon-cap.
White cranked a solo shot to lead off the top of the fourth, but that was all the Leopards could manage.
Chapman loaded the bases in the first inning after making two outs and pushed one across when Matt Gandy was hit with a pitch.
Six different Panthers had RBI hits in the ensuing innings capped off Greg Dillon's solo homerun in the bottom of the 8th.
Winterburn and Holland each had a hit for the Leopards.
La Verne returns to action next Friday when they host Caltech at Rio Hondo Community College at 2:30 p.m.
