SportsSoftball

Claremont thwarts ULV four-peat

Safe by an inch, senior shortstop Gina Meza legs out a single against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The Leopards would come up short in their bid for a win, losing 8-5 in the first game of a double-header last Saturday. The loss would prevent La Verne from clinching the SCIAC title and a NCAA playoff berth, instead leaving that distinction to Cal Lutheran. / photo by Jason Cooper
Safe by an inch, senior shortstop Gina Meza legs out a single against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The Leopards would come up short in their bid for a win, losing 8-5 in the first game of a double-header last Saturday. The loss would prevent La Verne from clinching the SCIAC title and a NCAA playoff berth, instead leaving that distinction to Cal Lutheran. / photo by Jason Cooper

by Lacy Cascadden
Staff Writer

The University of La Verne softball team faced off against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps last weekend in hopes of grabbing their fourth consecutive Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title. The Leopards needed to win all three games of the weekend to take first place in SCIAC and move on to regionals.

ULV was not victorious in its first game on Saturday as it began the doubleheader losing, 8-5. This was the most important game for ULV because it gave the Leopards one more loss than league champions Cal Lutheran, knocking ULV into second place in SCIAC.

“I think if we would have taken care of business earlier in the season against conference teams, we would not have been in the must-win position,” said head coach Julie Kline.

“We didn’t get down emotionally,” said sophomore Kourtney Tomlinson. “But we couldn’t get it together.”

“Gina (Meza) stepped up big time, and the seniors really tried to pull through,” Silagyi said

Six ULV seniors played their final games at Wheeler park Saturday in the doubleheader with CMS.

The Leopards ended the season in second place, one game away from a championship title.

“We did not play to our potential in the second game of our series with CMS,” Kline said.

However, the team still has a chance at regionals

“We still have a chance to get a wild card,” said freshman Kelley Silagyi.

“We may have a slight chance of getting into the NCAA tournament because of our strength of schedule and winning percentage, especially in region,” Kline said.

The Leopards battled CMS, taking two out of three games, but it would not be enough. ULV took the second game of the doubleheader Saturday at Wheeler Park in La Verne. The Leopards defeated CMS, 7-6.

The series looked hopeful for the Leopards when they took CMS at Claremont, 3-1.

Last weekend’s games also marked an era for the team, as it was Kline’s last game as head softball coach. Kline will remain as ULV women’s basketball coach, however, she will no longer be running the softball program.

“Her leaving is going to change things,” Silagyi said. “It is going to be a completely different program.”

The team will see a whole new coaching staff next year.

“It is going to be impossible to replace coach; she was a great leader,” Tomlinson said. “But we are looking forward to the new coach.”

Lacy Cascadden
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Jason Cooper, Staff Photographer
Jason Cooper
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