Leopard baseball returns to winning ways
Campus Times
March 22, 2002
It was the best of times and the worst of times for the University of
La Verne men's baseball team, dropping three straight to Pomona-Pitzer,
handing one to Ithaca College, and going 2-3 in the annual California Classic
tournament held at Ben Hines Field this past weekend.
The Leopards sacrificed three straight losses to the Sagehens during
a three-game conference series on March 8 and 9. Although the Leopards did
not walk away with any wins, all three games were close.
"It was three close games in a row; one hit could have decided
the game," head coach Scott Winterburn said.
The Leopards held the Sagehens powerful offense to 12 runs through 27
innings, but produced only 4 runs to counter their opponents.
"The Pomona series was dominated by their pitching," sophomore
pitcher Justin Van Duyne said.
These losses placed the Leopards in third place in the Southern California
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference behind No. 1 Pomona-Pitzer with a record
of 9-0 in conference and behind No. 2 California Lutheran with a record
of 6-0 in conference. The Leopards will meet up with the Regals in the end
of April.
A disappointing performance on March 13 against Ithaca College proved
to be the worst outing for the Leopards this season, losing by a score of
8-11. Each team committed six errors. Ithaca gave the Leopards many chances
for victory. The Bombers pitching staff combined for 16 strikeouts, 11 walks,
and hit 5 of the Leopards batters.
"We didn't play close to the style of the Pomona games. Ithaca
was the worst game of the season by far," Winterburn said.
"I think that our consistency as a team is still in its growing
stages," said senior pitcher Gil Hernandez.
"Any given day you can go out and beat a good team or get beaten,"
said Podesta. "We played the Ithaca game very lax," junior outfielder
Ray Podesta said.
The Leopards stepped it up however, in a non-conference game on March
14 against the No. 4 team in Division III baseball according to the Collegiate
Baseball pre-season polls, Montclair State.
The Red Hawks, who were the NCAA Division III Champions in 2000, kept
the game close but Leopard offensive prevailed. Red shirt freshman James
Ortega belted a clutch three-run home run in the bottom of the third to
put the Leopards on top by three.
"James' strength as a hitter is in his ability to put up numbers,"
Winterburn said. "When James, Ray, and Doak have good at bats we usually
win games; they get the rest of the guys' bats going."
The Red Hawks would come back to tie the game in the top of the fourth,
but the Leopards sophomore Joe Scott, would put the Leopards back on top
in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run. And there they would stay
winning by a score of 4-3.
The Leopards were back in action on Saturday and Sunday hosting the
California Classic Tournament.
ULV first hosted conference opponent Whittier College. Van Duyne was
on the mound for the Leopards. Van Duyne went the distance for the Leopards,
completing all nine innings striking out nine, allowing two runs on seven
hits.
Podesta and Ortega put up big numbers offensively for the Leopards,
going 5 for 6 with 6 RBI's and going 3 for
5 with 5 RBI's respectively.
The Leopards defeated the Poets by a score of 14-2.
The Leopards hosted Linfield College of McMinnville, Oregon in game
two on Saturday. The Leopards offensive got off to a slow start waiting
until the fourth to score.
Junior John Doak led off with a single, giving sophomore Joe Scott one
runner on base for his at bat. Scott crushed a homerun, which scored Doak
giving the Leopards a 2-0 lead.
After a walk from junior Joe Garcia and a single from freshman B.J.
Du Barry up came senior Nick Lemas. Lemas hit a ball into the outfield to
junior Kevin Schjel who committed an error on the play scoring Garcia, to
put the Leopards on top by a score of 3-0.
That would be the last time that a Leopard would cross the plate in
game two. The Wildcats would score six runs in the last three innings of
the game, which was called in the seventh due to a three hour time limit
rule, and defeated the Leopards by a score of 6-3.
Leopard's pitcher, sophomore Scott Lindeen went five and a third innings
for the Leopards allowing 3 runs on 4 hits striking out 5.
Sunday brought rain clouds that hovered over game one of the double-header.
But the Leopards didn't let the weather affect their game as the Leopards
took on the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse.
The Eagles bounced on the Leopards in the bottom first scoring 2 runs
off of a homerun from infielder Chester Janke.
The Leopards didn't waste any time however, regaining the lead in the
top of the second. Doak led off with a single starting the Leopards scoring
spree. Singles from freshman Greg Chico, Lemas and a double from sophomore
Pete Hanson gave the Leopards a 5-2 lead over the Eagles.
However, the Eagles answered back in the bottom of the second, scoring
3 runs on two hits to tie the Leopards 5-5.
The Eagles would score three more in the bottom of the fourth off of
three hits to put them ahead by a score of 8-5.
The Leopards would score again in the top of the fifth with help from
a lead off home run from Podesta, followed by back to back base on balls
from Doak and Scott. Another single from Chico which scored Doak would give
the Leopards an additional two runs, and make the score 8-7.
The Eagles scored one run in the bottom of the fifth on a home run from
senior outfielder Matt Kloss. That would be the last time that the Eagles
would cross home plate.
Senior reliever Gil Hernandez came in for the Leopards on the mound
and shut down his opposition. Hernandez faced nine batters allowed 3 hits
and struck out 1.
The Leopards offense stepped it up and scored three in the top of the
sixth off of 4 hits and 1 error ending the game with a final score of 10-9.
Game two on the day would finally bring the rain that had been threatening
to downpour on Ben Hines Stadium, as the Leopards faced Menlo College.
The Leopards started freshman pitcher Matt Froid on the mound. The Leopards
scored one in the first inning. Lemas led off the inning with a walk and
would later score with help from a single from Hanson, which would put him
in scoring position, on a wild pitch.
Errors plagued Menlo College in the bottom of the third as the Leopards
scored 1 run off of 1 hit and 2 errors.
Froid faced 13 batters in the four innings that he pitched allowing
only 1 hit and striking out 2.
The game was called in the bottom of the fourth due to rain, making
it an incomplete game for the Leopards.
"Our ability to keep working hard by putting runs on the scoreboard
and making tough plays was really evident this weekend," Podesta said.
Chico made a name for himself this weekend as an offensive standout
for the Leopards.
"It's particularly pleasing to see him play well because he has
been waiting," Winterburn. "All his hits mattered; he played a
nice ballgame."
The Leopards will have time to rest this weekend due to a break in the
schedule.
"After Sunday's rainout we were still ready to play, no one really
needs rest, but we'll take it,' Podesta said.
The Leopards will hit the road over spring break to travel up north
to face Cal State Hayward University.