Leos enter conference crunch time
Campus Times
April 25, 2003
Kelley Silagyi, freshman, is safe at first in the final game of a
two-day series against Occidental College. ULV swept the Tigers in three
games, 3-0, 3-2 and 11-2, Friday and Saturday. Currently, the Leopards are
in second place in the conference.
The University of La Verne softball team went 4-3 over spring break,
including 1-3 in Hawaii, ending with a record of 28-13 overall and 11-4
in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
ULV is currently in second place in the conference.
On their last day in Hawaii, the Leopards faced Chaminade University.
ULV took the first game convincingly, 14-2, but struggled in the second
game, losing, 13-6.
The Leopards started the first game strong, as seniors Gina Meza and
Libby Ramos scored the first two runs.
ULV's offense dominated as it ended the game with 22 hits compared to
Chaminade's eight hits and two errors.
ULV's defense held Chaminade scoreless in five of the seven innings
played.
La Verne ended the seventh inning with five runs by sophomore Amber
Guerra, Meza, Ramos, senior Sue Whitcher and junior Brandi Thompson.
"We held our own since they're a Division II team; we did pretty
well," said freshman pitcher Jennice Russi.
This momentum carried into the second game of the doubleheader against
Chaminade as the Leopards scored four runs in the first inning.
Chaminade, though, was prepared and ready to answer back as it scored
three runs in the first inning.
La Verne was only able to score one run in the next three innings, as
it allowed Chaminade to pull away with eight runs in the fourth inning.
ULV had 12 hits and three errors, while Chaminade had 15 hits and seven
errors in the 13-6 loss.
The Leopards played their first doubleheader in Hawaii against Hawaii
Pacific University. ULV dropped both games, 8-0 and 8-4.
"They had a lot of aggressive hitters," Russi said. "Hawaii
Pacific has been the best hitters that we've seen so far,"
Hawaii Pacific was able to hold ULV scoreless throughout the entire
first game. The Leopards struggled as they ended with only two hits, while
Hawaii Pacific ended with 11 hits.
In the second game of the double header, ULV was ready to put up a fight
against Hawaii Pacific.
Both teams' defenses stepped up as they went scoreless in the first
two innings.
Hawaii Pacific then pulled away in the third inning, grabbing five runs.
ULV stayed strong and answered back with three runs in the next two
innings.
Hawaii Pacific was still able to hold the Leopards to four runs.
Neither teams had any errors as ULV had 12 hits and Hawaii Pacific had
13 hits.
"Honestly, we didn't have that many mistakes," sophomore catcher
A.J. Taggart said. "Hawaii Pacific was just a really good hitting team.
They always found the gaps."
The Leopards continued SCIAC play before taking a plane to Hawaii to
face the two Division II teams.
ULV faced Occidental in a doubleheader on Friday, April 11, and again
the next day; the Leopards won all three games.
ULV controlled the first game of the double header, holding Occidental
College scoreless in six of the seven innings played, as it defeated Occidental,
3-2.
The Leopards stayed focused for the second game and came out even stronger
than the first.
"We know we have to win every game from now on to get first place,"
Taggart said. "If we lose another game, we're basically done."
The Leopards started the game off slow, as they were scoreless in the
first three innings.
ULV then pulled away, scoring its 11 runs in the next three innings.
ULV got 15 hits compared to Occidental's six hits, as the Leopards defeated
their opponent, 11-2.
ULV ended the three-game weekend with a convincing victory against Occidental,
3-0.
The Leopards are currently in second place in SCIAC and must win all
three games this weekend to force a tie for first and advance to the playoffs.
The Leopards face Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at 3 p.m., Friday in Claremont
and in a doubleheader starting at noon, Saturday at Wheeler Park.
