THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Tied atop the SCIAC standings entering the weekend, La Verne defeated No. 28 Cal Lutheran, 8-7, on George "Sparky" Anderson Field Friday afternoon to take sole possession of the league lead.
Box Score: ULV 8, CLU 7 – F
In what was anticipated to be a close game, the teams gave the fans what they expected. Scoreless thought the first three with a combined two hits, Cal Lutheran opened a 6-0 advantage in the fourth, but the Leopards posted a six run eighth to take an 8-7 lead, which they would cling on to through the final six CLU outs.
The final result went in favor of the Leos who pieced together an eighth inning rally to tighten things up after chipping away at their early six run deficit.
It was the fourth inning when the scoring began. The Kingsmen pieced together a six run inning in which 12 men stepped up to the plate. Three consecutive hits by Trevor Koons, Nick Boggan (double) and Nick DeLorenzo after Dominick Solley was hit by a pitch with one down got the offense going. With two outs and three men in, ULV made a pitching change, but Mike Vineyard promptly layed down an RBI bunt single before reliever Alan Heide hit both Garrett Smith and Iggy Wagner, who earned an RBI as DellaValle scored. Following another pitching change, Solley connected for an RBI single to right to cap off the scoring in the frame.
CLU tacked on a run in the sixth. Wagner was hit by a pitch, for the second time in the game, and moved up to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Koons collected a single, scoring Wagner.
La Verne responded with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, although only one was earned.
Byron Minnich was tested by the first batter of the game, throwing 10 pitches, but eventually retired ULV leadoff man George Hanna with a ground ball to shortstop. Minnich kept the Leopards batters off balance and scattered four hits over 7.1 innings, striking out six. The righty came out with two men on and a left handed pinch hitter stepping into the box for the Leos. Things continued to spiral for the home squad.
ULV rallied for six runs in the top of the eighth to take an 8-7 lead. Eleven Leopards stepped up to the plate as they collected four hits while drawing two walks, having one batter hit by a pitch and using one CLU error to their advantage.
In the top of the ninth, La Verne loaded the bases, but Spencer Trygg got a ground ball out and after hitting a man to load the bags forced a foul pop out to Vineyard at the net behind the plate
A last ditch effort fell short for the Kingsmen, despite a leadoff single by Boggan. ULV closer Anthony Cerafice came in to record the final two outs of the game for his third save of the spring. Matt Ashby was credited with the win as he was on the hill when the Leos took the lead. Tyler Hebda was tagged with the loss for CLU.
While CLU committed a trio of errors, they also turned in a few fantastic defensive plays.
A second inning fielding miscue was erased as Vineyard and first baseman Boggan combined to pick off designated hitter Cody Hazel at first and squash the ULV momentum early. Another fine defensive showing came in the third. With runners at the corners, the Kingsmen ended the top of the inning with an unusual 1-4-3-2 caught stealing. CLU got the first out of the seventh on a tough play at short by Koons with a great pick at first by Boggan. Cal Lutheran also turned a double play.
Solley, Koons, Boggan and Vineyard had two hits apiece for the Kingsmen.
Cal Lutheran (19-9, 14-5 SCIAC) and La Verne (20-10, 15-4) will play a pair tomorrow, Saturday, April 7 at Mt. SAC beginning at 11:00 a.m.