Billy Ray Lopez
Sports Information Graduate Assistant

LA VERNE, CA — Gabriella Underwood went 4-4, scored two runs, and drove in five as the University of La Verne softball team tallied 14 runs on 18 hits for the second game in a row to beat Cal Lutheran 14-7.

The Leopards picked up right where they left off after Friday's win, hitting early and often. The only difference between Saturday's opener and Friday's matchup was that both team's bats were on. La Verne and Cal Lutheran combined for an incredible 31 hits in the game.

With Cal Lutheran leading 6-4 in the fourth, the Leopards responded in the bottom of the inning when they sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs on five hits. Jocelyn Robertson doubled in Tauney Mack to make it 6-5 and Bailey Grani followed up with an RBI base hit to cash in Cailin Bliss. The Leopards' first baseman Underwood capped off the inning with a monster two-run homer over the left field fence to give La Verne its first lead of the game at 8-6.

La Verne added to their offensive totals in the fifth inning as they once again sent nine batters up to the plate, this time scoring five runs on four hits. Underwood drove home both Mack and Marissa Acosta to make the score 10-6 La Verne. Mia Pintado cashed in Underwood making it 11-6 and Haylee Hsieh capped off the offensive explosion with a two-run single, driving in Toni Lozano and Pintado making the score 13-6. 

It was a back-and-forth affair early between La Verne and Cal Lutheran. Trailing 2-0 in the home half of the first inning, Robertson got the Leopards on the board when she singled in Mack to cut the lead in half. Underwood tied the game up at 2-2 with an RBI single to drive in Robertson. 

The Regals tacked on two more runs in the top of the second to take a 4-2 lead but the Leopards once again answered back with a game-tying two-run single by Acosta scoring Linda Gherir and Lozano. 

Cal Lutheran added a run in the sixth with a solo home run by Ariana Mendoza. The Leopards countered with a solo homer of their own off the bat of Robertson to put the game away.

Robertson pitched the complete game picking up her third win of the season while going 3-4 at the plate with two runs scored, three RBIs, and a home run. Freshman outfielder Hsieh went 3-3 while driving in two runs. Acosta continued her hot hitting going 2-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. 

The Leopards totaled 14 RBIs in the win.

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Game Two: Cal Lutheran 6, La Verne 5

La Verne looked to finish off the three-game sweep and take game two of the doubleheader on Sunday afternoon against Cal Lutheran. But the Leopards' seventh inning rally fell a run short as La Verne fell 6-5.

Cal Lutheran senior pitcher Meghan Henry held the Leopards bats down allowing two runs through six innings but La Verne started a rally with one out in the seventh. Haylee Hsieh got the Leopards going with a base hit into left-center field. Linda Gherir followed with a base hit into center field and a walk by Marissa Acosta loaded the bases. Tauney Mack stepped up to the plate representing the tying run and she unloaded the bases on a three-run double down the right field line to bring La Verne within one run of Cal Lutheran's 6-5 lead. But that would be as close as the Leopards would get as Regals' senior pitcher Sienna Perez was able to get the final two outs and strand the game-tying run at second base. 

The Regals got off to an early lead in the first inning courtesy of a two-run homer off the bat of Ariana Mendoza. The Leopards cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the first when Acosta singled home Gherir cutting Cal Lutheran's lead to 2-1. 

Cal Lutheran broke it open in the third inning with seven consecutive singles scoring four runs to take a commanding 6-1 lead. The Leopards responded in the bottom of the third inning with an RBI single by Jocelyn Robertson that scored Acosta. 

La Verne took two of three from Cal Lutheran and is now 3-3 on the season and 3-3 in SCIAC play. Cal Luthern moves to 2-13 overall and 2-13 in the SCIAC.

Senior Day

The Leopards recognized seniors Gabriella Underwood, Tauney Mack, and Toni Lozano in a brief pregame ceremony.

SCIAC Tournament

The Leopards will return to action this Friday when they travel to Chapman for the first game of the SCIAC Postseason Tournament. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.