Softball stretches streak to seven
Campus Times
March 5, 2004
University of La Verne thirdbaseman Kelley Silagyi hit a pop up that was
caught for an out during the second game of the doubleheader against the Cal
Lutheran Regals Saturday. The Leopards came away with two wins (9-2, 3-1) partly
attributable to Silagyi, who brought in two runs in game one and hit a home
run in game two to further demoralize the Regals.
The University of La Verne softball team has a motto that states, “Get
it Done” and the Leopards did just that in its weekend series with California
Lutheran University.
The Leopards (8-4, 6-0) used a total team effort, excellent pitching and some
last-inning heroics to remain unbeaten in the Southern California Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference with 7-4, 9-2 and 3-1 victories over Cal Lu last weekend
at Gibello Field in Thousand Oaks and Wheeler Park in La Verne.
With the victories, the Leopards are in the driver’s seat in conference,
trying to improve on last year’s second-place finish.
“One of our themes is to finish everything we start,” head coach
Robin Haaker said. “This weekend the entire team really stepped up and
played some great games to continue our winning streak.”
The finale of the three game series was a nail biter filled with all the drama
of a Hollywood movie, ending with a sixth inning solo home run by Kelley Silagyi,
propelling the Leopards to victory.
“When I first stepped to bat, I was just thinking I’d get something
started for the team,” Silagyi said. “But right when I hit it, I knew
it was gone, it was just one of those hits.”
The entire game was a classic pitching dual between Leopard ace Amanda Jones
and Regals’ starter Gianna Regal. Neither pitcher gave an inch as they
both swept through the opposing lineup with ease.
The Leopards drew first blood in the bottom of the first when Jones helped
her own cause driving in Amber Guerra for the early 1-0 lead.
The Regals jumped on the scoreboard in the sixth when Jones started losing
her control. Jones gave Cal Lu the game-tying run after walking four straight
batters.
Staying true to form, the Leopards kept their composure in the bottom of the
sixth by scoring runs on Silagyi’s dramatic solo home run as well as Suzy
Riker, scoring on a double by Elaine Martinez, finalizing the game in dramatic
fashion giving the Leopards the 3-1 victory.
“This is still a young season,” Haaker said. “We now have to
know that other teams are going to be up beat to play us and we just cannot
settle for what we have accomplished so far, we still have to play one game
at a time.”
Jones completed the seven inning masterpiece by only allowing one run on one
hit and finishing two for three from the plate with an RBI.
Game two was less dramatic, but once again found the Leopards jumping on their
opponents early and not looking back.
Mary Olsen took the mound for the Leopards and started shaky, giving up two
runs in the first and second innings.
She calmed down after her offense helped her out in a big way, exploding for
six runs in the bottom of the second when the Leopards batted through the lineup.
With the bases loaded, Olsen drew a walk to bring in Riker for the first run.
Another walk by Guerra evened the score at 2 with the fireworks just beginning.
A.J. Taggart drove in two runs for the Leopards with her double to the center
field wall scoring Martinez and Olsen for the 4-2 lead.
The Leopards added two more runs when Guerra and Taggart scored on singles
by DeGiacomo and Silagyi increasing their lead to 6-2 after two innings.
Olsen cruised the rest of the way with flawless pitching and a defense that
was vacuuming any ball that was in the air or on the ground.
Second basemen Riker was evident of that with her diving left and right for
the ground balls not afraid of getting dirty.
The door was closed on the Regals in the bottom of the fourth when the Leopards
added three runs.
“Last year we lost to Cal Lu, so these past games we stepped it up and
played like we know how,” DeGiacomo said. “We came in with a lot of
intensity and maintained it through both games.”
Guerra started things off with a double over the center fielder’s head
to begin the inning. DeGiacomo and Silagyi had consecutive singles that found
their way through the outstretched arms of the Regal defenders. Riker finished
the deal when she tripled, bringing home Silagyi, capping off the victory, 9-2.
In the double header the Leopards received two complete games from Olsen and
Jones, who pitched their team to victory.
“Mary and Amanda really stepped up huge for us,” Haaker said. “They
kept the opposing hitters on their toes and pitched within themselves, not to
mention they had their offense and defense backing them up.”
The opening game of the series played in Thousand Oaks, Friday, stayed true
to form with the Leopards dominating all facets of the ball game.
Morgan Dobis lead the Leopards, going three for four at the plate. Riker had
one hit and two RBIs.
The entire game, the Leopards were held at bay until they exploded in the
fifth and sixth innings scoring four and three runs, respectively, to come away
with the victory.
“The season is far from over,” DeGiacomo said. “We just have
to take it a game at a time, one team at a time and even one inning at a time,
if we do that we should be fine.”
The Leopards put their perfect conference record on the line this weekend
against Occidental College, starting at 3 p.m. Friday at Wheeler Park and concluding
with a doubleheader at noon and 2 p.m. Saturday in Los Angeles.
“I think our team chemistry is a big reason we will continue to be successful
this season,” Silagyi said. “We have to keep pushing each other and
play with our hearts and mind.”
