Team efforts propel sweep of Stags
Campus Times
March 8, 2002
In the first game of a doubleheader against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
on Saturday afternoon, shortstop Nick Lemas throws for the double play after
second baseman Greg Garay made a dive to get the ball to second. La Verne
turned the double play and went on to win the first game, 6-0. The team
won game two of the day 15-5.
A shutout, 46 runs and a defensive showcase capped off the week for
the La Verne baseball team as they swept Southern California Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference opponents Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, and one non-conference
game against nationally ranked DeSales University of Pennsylvania.
The Leopards traveled to Claremont on Friday to face the Stags, although
the term "home-field advantage" did not apply in this meeting.
The Leopards scored 15 runs and ended up winning by a score of 15-5.
Saturday's double-header brought more of the same for the Leopards.
In the first game, senior Brian Grimm started the game on the mound
for the Leopards. Grimm kept the Stags scoreless throughout nine innings,
allowing seven hits and striking out five, completing a shutout.
"I felt good out there. The team was really strong behind me playing
great defense and it helped that I didn't walk anyone; we won as a team,"
Grimm said.
"He created a tempo all day long, he made their hitters swing,"
said head coach Scott Winterburn.
Despite Grimm's impressive performance, the Leopards offense was reserved,
keeping the game close, until the bottom of the fifth.
Junior Joe Garcia came up to the plate and knocked in a solo-homerun
starting the Leopards scoring rally.
After a walk and an error on the right fielder, on a hard hit ball from
junior Ray Podesta and a single from junior John Doak, the Leopards' rally
was halted at four.
The Leopards walked away with a win in game one, 6-0.
Game two started off shaky for the Leopards, allowing the Stags to score
one in the first inning off an error.
The Leopards did more than answer back in the bottom of the second.
With a lead-off double from Podesta, not to mention another double later
in that inning, a triple from sophomore Joe Scott, and a double from Mark
Chiappelli, the Leopards racked up eleven runs on nine hits, and two errors.
But it did not stop there.
In the bottom of the third, junior Todd Farrell led off with a double,
then senior Steve Smith singled and advanced Farrell to third. Sophomore
James Ortega came up next and singled, scoring Farrell.
A sacrifice fly to right field from Podesta and an error on the Stags
shortstop sophomore Tyler Kimura, scored two this inning and propelled the
Leopards headed by two more.
The bottom of the seventh inning would be the last time that the Leopards
would cross home plate.
The Leopards scored two runs off of two hits, singles from Podesta and
junior Justin Brown, ending game three of the series with a final score
of 15-5.
"Claremont is a good team, but it seemed that they didn't even
want to be there," said Farrell. "The wind was out of their sail."
The Leopards outscored the Stags 36-10 on the weekend.
Podesta led the Leopards in their first conference match-up, and his
hitting spree continued on into Monday's competition against DeSales University
of Pennsylvania.
"Ray is our best practice player. There is a distinct relationship
in his good swings in practice and how he has been performing in games,"
Winterburn said.
Podesta's efforts were also notice by the SCIAC and he was named SCIAC
Athlete of the Week honorable mention for the week ending March 3rd.
The Bulldogs were ranked 26th in the nation in pre-season polls, according
to Baseball Magazine.
The Leopards came alive in the second inning scoring three runs off
of two hits and two errors, jumping ahead 3-0.
ULV waited until the fourth to score three more runs with three back
to back hits, a lead off double from Garcia, a single up the middle from
Scott, and a double hit into deep left field from Lemas which scored two
runs.
A sacrifice fly into center from Garay advanced Lemas to third. Lemas
would score on the next pitch on a balk, giving the Leopards three more
runs.
The Bulldogs tried to get something going at the plate in the top of
the fifth scoring one run on two hits, putting an end to Van Duyne perfect
game.
Freshman Matt Froid came in relief for Van Duyne and struck out two
and allowed two hits.
The Leopards answered back in the bottom of the fifth and scored two
runs.
With two outs Leopards' Garcia doubled and Scott walked, giving Lemas
two ducks on a pond for his at bat. Lemas hit a double and scored Garcia
and Scott, giving the Leopards an 8-1 lead.
The Leopards scored one in the bottom of the seventh when Garcia led
off being hit by the pitch.
Junior Justin Brown substituted in for Garcia. Farrell singled, advancing
Brown to second, and with help from DeSales pitcher senior Blake Boyer,
who walked two, advancing Brown home, the Leopards gained one to increase
their lead to 9-1.
A pitching change in the eighth brought in senior Gil Hernandez, who
allowed two hits, and one run giving DeSales their second run on the day,
which would be their final.
The Leopards scored one more in the eighth to increase their lead to
10. Hernandez held DeSales and the game ended with a score of 10-2.
"We've beaten several nationally ranked teams," said Winterburn.
"We expect to play well and I think that it is finally starting to
show."
"Everyone really collectively contributed," said Podesta.
Podesta who went 8 for 15 at the plate with five RBI's, modestly contributed
last weekend's performance to the team work ethic and dedication in practice.
"Hard work at practice has helped all of us find our swing,"
Podesta said.
The Leopards took on Division II Cal State San Bernardino on Feb. 26
at home.
Coyotes coach Don Parnell said that the La Verne game was added into
their schedule in order to provide the Coyotes bullpen with some work.
A spot in the Coyotes schedule opened up when game three in a three
game series to Grand Canyon University was cancelled due to rain.
The Coyotes did not expect the Division III Leopards to have an effect
on their record play, but the Leopards determination prevailed.
The Coyotes had just advanced into the 15th spot in the Collegiate Baseball
News Division II national poll after taking three of four games from Cal
Poly Pomona, and increasing their record to 5-2 in conference play.
However, the Leopards offense battled hard throughout the nine innings
and took advantage of mental errors made by the Coyotes defense.
ULV overcame three homeruns from the Coyotes and capitalized on four
errors made by the opposition to win by a score of 8-6.
The Leopards will take on tough competition again this weekend. They
will face the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens.
The Sagehens are going into this weekend leading conference with a 6-0
record, including sweeps against Occidental and Whittier.
Five of the Sagehen's starting nine are hitting above .420. The Leopards
are ready for the competition.
"When we get caught up in the result, we lose our concentration.
We need to stay focused on the process," said Winterburn.
"I don't think that we want to do anything different against Pomona-Pitzer,"
Podesta said. "We just want to play the game that we have been playing."
"We are finally beating teams that we should be beating, and making
a name for ourselves in the process," said Grimm.
The Leopards will take on the Sagehens today on Ben Hines Field at 2:30
p.m. and they will meet again Saturday in Pomona at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.
