When the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens met the La Verne Leopards on Mar. 5 and 6, the three-game series took on an intensity above the usual for SCIAC matchups.
Both teams have occupied two of the top three positions in the league for the past three years. Although the rivalry has always been competitive, the Sagehens poured gasoline on the fire in 2007 when they took a trip down Bonita Avenue to watch the University of La Verne play their final game of the season against Whittier. With a win, La Verne would have clinched the league title. Instead, the Leopards lost the game in extra innings, and P-P claimed the league title and celebrated in the parking lot.
The next year, La Verne took sweet revenge by closing out a SCIAC title on Alumni Field, the home of Pomona-Pitzer baseball.
This year belonged to the Sagehens. Pomona-Pitzer swept all three games of the weekend series against La Verne by putting up an impressive 36 runs against the Leopards’ 15.
The first game of the series started out with relatively little offense. David Colvin PI ‘11 and James Kang PI ‘10 combined for a shut out, as the Sagehens won 3-0. Colvin struck out 8 in 8 innings pitched. Offensively, the game remained scoreless until the eighth inning, in which P-P put up their 3 runs. James Campbell PO ‘12 launched a two-run homer, giving the pitchers all the offense they needed to claim the win.
Friday, however, was not a preview for the rest of the series. Saturday was a hitters’ duel.
Saturday undeniably belonged to the Sagehens as the offense put up 33 runs in the double header. Both games went to P-P, 13-9 and 20-8. In the first game, the Sagehens jumped out to a 8-1 lead, but La Verne did not go quietly. A grand slam from DH Kevin Ibarra brought the game back to 8-7 in the top of the fifth. After holding the Sagehen offense, the Leopards tied the game in the top of the sixth inning to complete an impressive comeback.
The Sagehens, however, were not done, and Nick Frederick PO ‘11 doubled in a run to take the lead back in the bottom of the sixth. After La Verne matched the score again at 9-9, Kyle Pokorny PO ‘12 slugged a home run to right center to take the lead for good.
The second game was far less stressful than the first. The Sagehens exploded for 20 runs, including 12 in the third inning alone, and the team jumped out to a 17-2 lead after just three innings. Frederick hit his first career grand slam and went 5-5 with four RBIs. Teddy Bingham PO ‘11 also hit a home run and contributed four RBIs. The top four sluggers in the lineup (Kang, Nick Gentili PO ‘13, Frederick, and Bingham) hit 12-19 with 13 RBIs.
It seems as though La Verne struggles against explosive offense and muggy weather conditions.
This weekend will see the latest chapter in a rivalry closer to home, as the Sagehens will take on CMS. The Friday game will be held at CMS at 2:00 p.m. The Saturday doubleheader will take place at home and begin at 11:30 a.m. See you there.
