TUCSON, Ariz. — The La Verne baseball team used a 10-run fourth inning to rout George Fox 15-7 in the first game of Cactus Classic on Thursday at Kino Stadium.

The Leopards pounded out 17 hits and hit .436 as a team. Chris Peres led the way with three hits while knocking in two runs and scoring another two. Isaiah Cruz, Nicholas Michaels, Jacob Benson and Andrew Douglas recorded two hits each.

George Fox put together three runs in the top of the fourth inning to grab a 3-1 lead but the lead was short-lived.

Peres led off the bottom half of the inning with a double and Dylan Lowenstein followed with a single to put runners on first and third. Lowenstein was sacrificed over to second and the Leopards hit three straight singles to even the game at 3-3. Brennan Campbell then drew a bases-loaded walk to put La Verne back on top and Jakob Thomas hit a bases-clearing double down the left field line to give the Leopards a 7-3 lead. Peres, batting for the second time in the frame, knocked in Thomas with another double and Benson and Douglas hit back-to-back singles to hand the Leopards a 11-3 lead.

La Verne added two more runs in the fifth as George Fox second baseman Connor Newell's throwing error allowed Cruz to score and Michaels followed with a single to give La Verne a 10-run lead.

Trailing by 10 runs in the ninth, the Bruins loaded the bases with one out against La Verne freshman Cody Norman and Jantzen Tamanaha came through with a single through the left side to plate two runs, cutting the deficit to 15-7. But Norman settled down to fan the next batter and forced Houston Thom into a force out to seal the game.

Christopher Arcos (1-0), who relieved starter Nico Gonzalez in the top of the fourth and pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, picked up the first win of his career.

Garrett Day was tagged with the loss after allowing nine runs in 3.1 innings.

The Leopards are back in action tomorrow for a pair of games against Sul Ross St. and Chapman.