Nate Rodriguez

La Verne, California – Runs scored in each of the first six innings for the Leopards helped SCIAC's top team to a 16-0 mercy-rule victory over the Caltech Beavers on Friday afternoon.

Senior right-hander Sean Holt struck out nine batters through six scoreless innings, throwing some of his best stuff in his final frame of work. He struck out the side in Caltech's half of the sixth, totaling a career-high nine strikeouts before handing the ball off to the bullpen. The Beavers managed just three hits and one walk over Holt's dominance. The Leopards tagged their visitors with three runs in the bottom of the first. Free bases in the forms of walks and hit-by-pitches were compounded by timely hitting, and by the end of the third inning La Verne led 12-0. Brandon Shiota started the scoring with his day's first of two RBI doubles in the first, and finished the day with three hits and four RBIs. The Siffert brothers, Chase and Tanner playing second and first base, both had two hits apiece and drove home five combined runs. Designated hitter Malachi Francois was the other Leopard with a multi-hit day, and he was replaced by Matt Diaz who smacked a pinch-hit triple in his first at-bat. First-year southpaw Ethan Galindo finished the game on the bump for the Leos, striking out one batter in the seventh en route to La Verne's conference-leading ninth win this season. Their overall record improves to 17-4-1, prior to traveling to Caltech tomorrow for 18 innings slated against the Beavers.