Leopards Claw Out Early Runs To Sweep Boxers

Leopards Claw Out Early Runs To Sweep Boxers

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Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

LA VERNE, Calif. – La Verne scored early in both games against Pacific on Monday, using the early advantages to sweep a baseball doubleheader from the Boxers at the Rio Hondo College baseball field.
 
La Verne scored three runs in the first two innings of the opener and then erased a Pacific rally with a three-run eighth inning to beat the Boxers 6-4.  The Leopards then made a three-run first inning hold in the nightcap, limiting Pacific to two late runs in a 5-2 victory.
 
With the losses, Pacific dropped to 7-11 overall.  La Verne improved to 10-12.
 
GAME 1: LA VERNE 6, PACIFIC 4
Pacific found themselves playing catch-up early as the Leopards scored three runs off of starter Colin McCusker (Jr., Olympia, Wash.) in the first two innings.
 
After the first two La Verne batters reached base in the bottom of the first, McCusker coaxed the next two into outs before Joe Winterburn opened scoring with his single to left field that scored Nolan Henley.  Pedro Espinoza followed with a single up the middle, which scored Winterburn.  The Leopards added one in the second when Jared Hovsepian's single scored Ashton Edior.
 
Pacific took two of the runs back in the third when Jimmy Brakebush (So., Portland, Ore.) smashed a two-run double to center field, scoring Matt Hopp (Jr., Portland, Ore.) and Donnie Bradley (Jr., Beaverton, Ore.).  Nathan Suyematsu (So., Tualatin, Ore.) tied it in the fourth when he scored on Walker Olis' (So., Burlington, Wash.) infield single.
 
The Boxers took a short-lived lead in the seventh on Brakebush's homer to left center field, which was only the second hit by a Pacific player this season. 
 
The Leopards, however, secured the win with a three-run eighth inning.  Espinoza secured the lead with a two-run double down the left field line and Winterburn added the third run on a sacrifice fly.
 
Topher Mood (Sr., St. Helens, Ore.) took his first loss of the season for the Boxers in relief, allowing three runs on two hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning.  Brett Early was the winner for La Verne, allowing one run on four hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in five innings of relief.
 
Bradley's 3 for 5 outing paced Pacific, while Brakebush went 2 for 4 with three RBIs.  Hovsepian, George Hanna, Espinoza, Mark Jebbia and Edior each had two hits for La Verne.
 
GAME 2: LA VERNE 5, PACIFIC 2
La Verne once again did damage early with a three-run first inning.  Winterburn opened scoring with a two-run double to right center field and Ben White followed with a single to center field that scored Winterburn.
 
The Leopards added one run in the fourth when White doubles and scored Henley.  La Verne would then add an insurance run in the eighth.
 
Pacific would get both of its runs late.  Dan Jaffe (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev.) put the Boxers on the board in the eighth with his solo home run to left field.  Olis doubled to left center field to begin the ninth and scored on a ground out.
 
Kyle Treadway (Jr., Phoenix, Ore.) took the loss for the Boxers, dropping to 2-3 on the season.  He allowed four runs, three earned, on 11 hits with a strikeout in 3.2 innings of work.  Mark Jebbia was the winner for La Verne, allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts in eight innings.  Zach Quinones earned the save.
 
Olis and Jaffe each had two hits to lead the Boxers, while White went 3 for 5 with three RBIs to pace La Verne.
 
Pacific returns home from their short southern California trip for four games this week.  The Boxers will play Corban on Wednesday at 5 p.m. in a non-conference tilt at Chuck Bafaro before returning to Northwest Conference play over the weekend at Willamette.
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