WALNUT, Calif. – Senior Ryan Schwenn continues to build upon his impressive senior year by adding a no hitter to his resume going nine innings giving up one walk in rout to the 4-0 victory over the No. 25 Leopards of the University of La Verne.
Whittier now improves to 13-13, 7-9 SCIAC, while La Verne drops to 17-10, 12-4 SCIAC.
La Verne who came into tonight's contest leading SCIAC atop the standings was dazed by the lights out pitching from Schwenn who for the second straight week compiles the best pitching statistics he has ever had at Whittier College.
The no hitter to many is one of hardest feats ever to achieve in baseball, while some argue the unassisted triple play or hitting for the cycle is even harder but Schwenn achieved this feat this evening marking the first time in head Coach Mike Rizzo's tenure at Whittier College that one has been thrown. It also marks the first time in Schwenn's career he has ever thrown a no hitter etching his name into the Whittier College record books.
With the win, Schwenn not stands atop the SCIAC standings with six. Schwenn went nine innings of work striking out four and surrendering just one walk.
The Poets almost had another milestone reached during the game as senior Andrew Vallejo missed hitting for the cycle missing only a homerun. He finished 3-4 with a single, double, and triple to go with a run and two RBI's.
The Purple & Gold added a run in the top half of the first after Vallejo tripled and was driven in by Corey Jensen who grounded out to second base.
Even though that would be all Schwenn would need for offense the Poets added two runs in the fifth as Vallejo doubled to right center that drove in Tyler Bogart and Austin Straus.
Then in the eighth the Poets added an insurance run behind back to back doubles from Jensen and Corey Goodchild that sealed the deal for the poets helping them earn their thirteenth win of the season and an upset victory over the Leopards of the University of La Verne who had been on a tear recently sweeping the Stags of Claremont-M-S last weekend.
The Poets look to continue their strong pitching as senior Taylor Fallon takes to the mound tomorrow, Saturday, March 31 in game one of the doubleheader as he looks to build upon his SCIAC leading 1.53 ERA.