LA VERNE, Calif. – Inconsistent pitching and defense dug the Linfield Wildcats holes they could not climb out of and the result was a doubleheader sweep by the La Verne Leopards, 13-7 and 7-5, Saturday afternoon at Ben Hines Field.
The nonconference losses drop Linfield to 13-13 overall. La Verne extended its win streak to six, advancing to 15-8 on the year.
GAME 1: La Verne 13, Linfield 7
La Verne struck first in the first frame with two quick runs. The 'Cats bounced back with two runs in the third when
Ryan Ross doubled to score
Joey Cassano. Later,
Brady Rediger doubled to bring in Ross, tying the game at 2.
The Leopards rallied with a run in the bottom of the frame to retake the lead as Brandon Vogel singled and brought in Nick Michaels after a Linfield throwing error.
Scoring four runs in the fourth, La Verne added to its one-run lead. The highlight of the inning was a three-run double by Chris Peres.
Linfield scored a pair of runs in the fifth and the eighth but couldn't overcome a six-run sixth by La Verne.
Linfield in the box
Linfield outhit La Verne 16-14. Four Wildcats had multiple hits. Headlining the Wildcat offense was Ross who went 4 for 5 with three runs and an RBI. Cassano scored two runs with an RBI and went 3 for 6.
Jake Dennis hit 3 for 5 with one RBI.
Wildcat arms
Cal Neely (1-5) struggled in his eighth start of the season. He tossed 3.1 innings of eight-hit ball, allowing seven runs. Reliever
Matt Strang gave up four runs on four hits. Closer
Matt McDonald tossed the final 1.1 innings, allowing two runs.
La Verne at the plate
Six La Verne hitters had multiple hits. Leadoff man Jacob Benson went 3 for 6 with two runs scored and an RBI. Jakob Thomas hit 2 for 3 with three runs, two RBI and one walk. Nick Michales went 1 for 3 and scored four runs.
Leopards on the mound
Cody Norman got the start for La Verne. He threw the first 3.1 innings, giving up two runs on seven hits. A.J. Jimenez (4-1) tossed 2.2 innings, surrendering three runs and five hits. Art Corona Jr. fired 1.1 innings of relief, giving up two runs on three hits. Hayden Firth tossed 1.2 scoreless innings to finish the game.
GAME 2: La Verne 7, Linfield 5
Linfield took to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning. A pair of bases-loaded walks from
Jake Gellos and
Jared Evans gave the 'Cats their first two runs.
La Verne answered with two of their own in the bottom of the inning. A homer from Jakob Thomas followed by a triple off the bat Nick Michaels headlined the scoring.
The Leopards tied the game in the second before giving the lead back in the fourth as the Wildcats plated another run.
Joey Cassano sent an RBI single to center field that brought home
Colton Robinson.
The Leopards answered with a three-run fourth, thanks to a two-run double from Aaron Fong. The Leopards ended the inning with the lead, 6-5.
Linfield in the box
Linfield mustered just two hits while scoring five runs. Gellos went 1 for 3 with two RBI. Cassano had the other Wildcat hit. He went 1 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI. Fox, Ross, and Robinson each scored a run.
Wildcat arms
Starter
Carter Buuck gave up six runs on eight hits over 3.2 innings.
Dylan Peters threw 3.1 innings of two-hit ball before yielding to
Liam Herlihy to begin the eighth.
La Verne at the plate
La Verne outhit Linfield 11-2. Fong paced the Leopards with three RBI on 2 for 4 hitting. Thomas knocked in two runs while going 2 for 3 with a run scored. Jacob Benson hit 3 for 4 with a run scored.
Leopards on the mound
The La Verne pitching staff was on full display in the second game of the doubleheader. Tyler Agajaian started for the Leopards and struggled to escape the first. He lasted just 1/3 of an inning, conceding three runs and walking four without allowing a hit. Brenden Bergen took over after that, tossing two innings of one-hit ball. Logan Frye threw 1.1 innings and gave up one run. Steven Canedo and Nick Byrd held the Wildcats scoreless the rest of the way.
Next
Linfield wraps up the three-game series with La Verne on Sunday. Action starts at noon at Ben Hines Field.
