LA VERNE, CA — Niyah Brown came in clutch and the University of La Verne softball team walked-off with a 4-3 eight-inning win over Redlands in its SCIAC opener.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Francheska Juarez singled down the left-field line and then advanced to second off a fly out by Katheryn Navarro.

That brought Brown up to the plate with a chance to bring in the winning run. The junior delivered and hit a shot to right center that sent Juarez barreling around third and across the plate. Brown and Juarez each finished the game with three hits.

It was the second time this season the pair of Juarez and Brown came through with late-game heroics. In a 5-4 win over Pacific Lutheran earlier this season Juarez took advantage of a wild pitch and scored the game-tying run before Brown stepped up later in the inning and added the game-winning RBI. 

The extra innings were made possible by a crucial long ball by Jiana Rojo in the fifth inning. After Brown led off the bottom of the inning with a single, Rojo stepped up next and hit a shot over the left-field fence to tie the game 3-3. Rojo also added the Leopards' opening run of the game when she doubled in Navarro in the first inning. 

Rojo did it all for the Leopards, pitching a complete with four strikeouts to earn her fifth win of the season. Navarro finished the game with two hits.

Tyesen Gordon led the Leopards with two hits and two RBIs.

WALKOFF! Niyah Brown brings in the winning-run to give @ULVSOFTBALL a 4-3 extra-innings win in their SCIAC opener! #GoLeos #d3sb pic.twitter.com/qOV4XKqvCq

— La Verne Leopards (@ULVAthletics) February 29, 2020

Season Impact

La Verne improves to 7-2 overall and 1-0 in SCIAC play. The Leopards' only losses are to No. 3 Linfield. Redlands drops to 7-3 overall and 3-1 in conference action.

Next Game

The Leopards conclude their series with the Bulldogs Saturday at Redlands in a doubleheader beginning at noon.