LA VERNE, Calif. — Jakob Thomas went deep for the sixth time this year but the La Verne baseball team fell 13-8 to Berry on Wednesday afternoon at Ben Hines Field.

La Verne fell in an early hole but Thomas got a rally started in the bottom of the seventh inning with a three-run homer to deep right center to get the Leopards within 7-5. The Leopards tacked on one more to get within a run after Ashton Edior drew a two-out walk and Isaiah Cruz and Jacob Benson followed with back-to-back singles.

The Vikings stayed a couple of steps ahead on a bases-loaded single by Casey Whitaker in the top of the eighth to go up 9-6. The Leopards responded right away in the bottom half of the inning as Chritopher Peres singled up the middle with bases loaded to bring the Leopards within a run again.

However, the Leopards just couldn't stave off Berry's bats. The Vikings put together three hits and a pair of walks to add four more runs in the top of the ninth and sat the Leopards down in order in the bottom of the inning to seal the win.

The Leopards were outhit 16-10 and committed six errors on defense.

Cruz finished 3-for-5 at the plate with a double. Thomas was 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored. Peres also recorded a pair of hits and drove in three runs.

Berry's Alfred Francis was a perfect 5-for-5 with five runs scored and Whitaker finished 4-for-6 with five RBI.

The Leopards return to action tomorrow at 3 p.m. against Southern Vermont.