Baseball splits doubleheader at home
Campus Times
April 25, 1997
Determined to defeat the Whittier Poets this past weekend, the University
of La Verne baseball team only conquered one winning game, losing two and
making their conference standing, 9-9.
On Friday, La Verne fell to the Poets, losing 10-7. Saturday, the Leopards
played a doubleheader at Ben Hines field and split by winning the first
game 9-8 and losing the second, 12-8.
Head coach Owen Wright said, "Saturday's games were a replica of
Friday's game. We scored enough runs in all three games to win all three
games."
At the beginning of the first game, senior right fielder Seth Marrs
hit an infield homerun, making the score 1-0 at the bottom of the first
inning.
In the bottom of the second inning, sophomore catcher Armando Hernandez
made a basehit and stole second base. Freshman Dave LaPeer also made a basehit,
advancing Hernandez to third base. Hernandez then stole home plate and the
score was 2-0.
When ULV came up to bat in the following inning, senior shortstop Brock
Whobrey got a basehit and sophomore left fielder David Riffle hit a homerun,
batting in Whobrey. The Leopards remained on fire when Hernandez was up
again, hitting a consecutive homerun and the score was 5-0.
Junior third baseman Robert Perea and junior second baseman Lyle Miller
both scored in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Whittier had a big fifth inning when four of their players hit doubles
and one made a basehit, scoring a total of five runs.
Though the pressure was on in the sixth inning, La Verne came back and
sophomore first baseman Eric Britton got a base hit. Marrs then hit a triple
and Britton scored the only run in that inning. The score was 8-5.
"Marrs did equal the record by obtaining 14 career triples held
by Wayne Redfearn back in 1977," said Wright.
After the seventh inning stretch, the Poets scored another two runs
and an additional run in the top of the eighth inning, tying the score 8-8.
By this time, both pitchers from ULV and Whittier were replaced.
Senior pitcher Sean Caldwell was relieved by freshman pitcher Andy Davis.
For Whittier, senior woman pitcher Ila Borders was replaced by freshman
pitcher Bob Weber.
"I think the team is short on pitchers. We get off to a big lead
and then we have trouble holding the lead," said Riffle.
It all came down to the bottom of the ninth inning when La Verne scored
the winning run.
Riffle made a basehit and successfully stole to second base. Hernandez
made a sacrifice hit, advancing Riffle to third base. With only one out,
junior pinch runner Jack Iafrate took Riffle's place at third base and freshman
Gary Griffith was the designated batter. He made a challenging basehit and
Iafrate ran home to his awaiting teammates at the plate. The score and game
was 9-8.
"I knew if he threw me a fastball, I would hit it and the infield
was up, so Iafrate scored by my basehit to win the game," Griffith
said.
But disappointment did hit home for the Leopards in game two.
La Verne scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Neither
team scored in the third but by the fourth inning, the Poets scored their
first run by a run batted in (RBI).
Scoring for the Leopards in the fourth inning were Britton and Miller.
By the bottom of the fifth, La Verne had a 6-1 lead over the Poets.
Trouble was definitely on its way for ULV in the sixth inning.
Two of the Poets were walked, two doubles were hit and a basehit was
made. Junior pitcher Maynard McClarrinon was relieved by Davis but the damage
continued with more basehits from Whittier. The score was 6-8 when the inning
finally ended.
Marrs said, "It seems like we can't put anything together consistently
and it's frustrating."
The poets continued to trample over the Leopards, scoring two more runs
in the top of the eighth inning.
ULV did come back by scoring two runs in that same inning.
Returning to the plate, the Poets kept the momentum going for their
teammates, scoring twice again in the ninth inning. They were able to hold
the Leopards and the final score was 8-12.
"This is the first losing season that I've coached in 14 years.
I don't know how we can go from a national winning team to the bottom half
of the standings," said Wright.
The Leopards play Cal Lutheran, the number one ranked team in the conference,
today at Ben Hines field at 3 p.m. and a doubleheader tomorrow at Cal Lutheran
at 11 a.m.
La Verne will conclude its season next Saturday and Sunday at Ben Hines
Field.