LA VERNE, Calif. — Sean Blandino smoked a bases-clearing triple to right center, giving No. 4 Cal Lutheran baseball an 8-3 lead over top-seeded La Verne in the seventh inning. Clay Rickerman got the save as the Kingsmen went on to win the first game of the SCIAC Tournament, shocking the Leopards 8-4 on Friday afternoon. 

With the upset, the Kingsmen stay on the winner's side of the bracket. As the No. 4 seed, the Kingsmen remain on the road. They are back in action on Friday and are at Chapman at 3 p.m. Saturday, and Sunday if necessary, is back at La Verne. The tournament is double elimination. 

The Kingsmen exploded with 15 hits against the Leopards, led by Zach Lafata and Gordon Richardson with three each. Blandino and Kyle Reuser added two each. On top of Blandino's triple, Richardson had two doubles and Lafata, Brendan Durfee, and Jalen Parks had one each. 

Chris Torres was on the mound for the Kingsmen. He went 6.0 innings and gave up three hits and three earned runs. He struck out two and gave up one walk as he picked up his eighth win.  

Rickerman relieved Torres and pitched the final 3.0 innings. He allowed just two hits and one earned run. He struck out two batters and earned his eighth save of the year. 

The game started with a pitcher's duel and was scoreless through three innings. Both teams had runners on base, but could not convert. The Kingsmen left four on base through the three innings and the Leopards left two. La Verne was the first to breakthrough and did so as they scored one run in the bottom of the fourth. 

The Kingsmen fired back in the top of the fifth. Richardson doubled to get into scoring position. Lafata was next up and traded places with Richardson. A double to right field tied the game. Cal Lutheran took its first lead as a single by Reuser brought Lafata home. 

The game went back-and-forth as La Verne scored two in the bottom of the fifth and took their second lead of the game. The Kingsmen were quick to answer as Parks doubled in the sixth. Richardson added his second double of the day as he brought home Parks and tied the game. 

Cal Lutheran blew the game open in the top of the seventh and had a commanding 8-3 lead. With the bases loaded, Richardson singled to the pitcher, scoring Max Heverly. Blandino was next up and so far had a quiet day. That turned around real quick as a bases-clearing triple had the Kingsmen in control. Lafata capped off the inning with a RBI single and the Kingsmen were in business. 

The defending SCIAC Tournament Champions look to keep it rolling on Friday at No. 3 Chapman. 

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