LA VERNE, Calif. – Jumping to an early 3-0 lead, the Linfield Wildcats buried the La Verne Leopards 18-4 on Sunday in the finale of a three-game non-conference baseball series at Ben Hines Field. While snapping a three-game losing skid, Linfield ended its spring break trip with a much-needed victory to move to a game above .500.
 
Putting a halt to La Verne's six-game win streak, Linfield improved 14-13 overall. The Leopards dipped to 15-9 on the year.
 
How it played out
The offensive onslaught started with the Wildcats trailing 1-0 in the second inning. Colton Robinson singled to center field to score Jared Evans, tying the game at 1. Linfield added two more runs in the inning, thanks to a pair of bases-loaded walks by Joey Cassano and Ryan Ross.
 
Five more runs came across for the 'Cats in the third and fourth innings. A two-run single by Daniel Zavala and a triple to center off the bat of Cameron Fox highlighted the Wildcats' scoring.
 
Enjoying a 13-3 lead after four innings, Linfield didn't put its bats on cruise control. The Wildcats plated five more runs over the closing five frames to blow out La Verne in the series finale.
 
The Wildcats did not commit an error on 16 fielding chances as the Linfield pitching staff forced seven fly outs and nine ground outs.
 
Linfield at the plate
Linfield totaled 18 hits to La Verne's four. Patiently waiting at the plate, Wildcat hitters drew 11 walks, scoring on three runs by means of base on balls. Ross went 2 for 6 with three RBI. Zavala had three RBI and went 2 for 3 with three runs scored and three walks. Robinson scored four runs in five at-bats and had four hits with two RBI. Cassano picked up three RBI and scored a run.
 
Wildcat pitching staff.
Six Linfield arms were used in order to coast to the 14-run win. Starter Ethan Jones threw the first two frames and allowed three runs on no hits but walked five. Winning pitcher Matt McDonald (1-0) appeared in the third and tossed the next 2.1 innings. He earned the first win of his career after allowing no runs on one hit. Talyor Boos, Kameron Walker, Dylan Peters and Liam Herlihy threw no more than 1.2 innings apiece and finished the job from the mound over the final five frames.
 
La Verne hitters
After great success in the series two prior games, the Leopards bats went cold on Sunday. Brandon Vogel went 0 for 2 but produced two of La Verne's four RBI. Nicholas Michaels had one RBI on 1 for 4 hitting.   
 
Leopards from the rubber
Jared Dean Galindo (0-1) was credited with the loss. The sophomore threw the first 1.2 innings and left after giving up three runs on two hits and three walks. Cameron Dice, Eric Munsey and Ben Rodriguez were needed to throw the second and third innings. They combined to allow 11 runs on eight hits and walked six. Ethan Fulsher tossed two innings, giving up two more runs. Travis Moffatt was the only La Verne pitcher who did not allow a run. He fired two scoreless innings of one-hit ball.
 
Next
Linfield heads back to Oregon in preparation for a three-game NWC series with Pacific. Due to the Easter holiday, the teams play a doubleheader Friday at noon, then complete the set with a single game on Saturday. Action starts at noon both days.