Dominic Honoré
Staff Writer
The La Verne baseball team took a heavy loss Sunday in their game against MIT, losing 9-3.
Despite a strong winning streak in two doubleheaders against Bowdoin and Caltech, the Leopards were unable to finish out their spring break series with a win.
“We just did not take care of business today,” head coach Scott Winterburn said. “We didn’t do our jobs.”
The Leopards did not score until the eighth inning of the game.
“They had a lot of good hits in key situations throughout the game and we were unable to respond,” Winterburn said.
Both teams were scoreless until the top of the third inning when MIT sophomore infielder Ethan Rolland got to walk with bases already loaded bringing in teammate sophomore outfielder Zach Roberts.
The next three scores came in the top of the fourth inning. The first, off an RBI double to right center field from sophomore catcher/infielder Andrew Krause to bring junior outfielder Matt Johnson home.
Krause then added his own score off an RBI from a double to right center field from MIT senior infielder Alec Kushner.
Kushner was then brought home off an RBI from freshmen in-fielder Cory O’Shea who hit a double to left center field.
MIT would cash in two more runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Alec Kushner was able to score a second time off a throwing error by La Verne junior shortstop Jacob Benson.
MIT senior utility player Jared Schwait then hit a single to left field to bring home O’Shea, putting them in the lead by six.
MIT senior pitcher Patrick Callahan commended his team on their performance during their trip from Cambridge.
“You could feel it right away, the energy on this trip was so much different,” Callahan said. “We were ready to bring it.”
The Leopards were able to put points on the board in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Junior third basemen Aaron Fong was able to bring two of his teammates home.
Freshmen outfielders Tanner Siffert and Brandon Shiota decreased MIT’s lead to four with an RBI triple to right center field.
Senior outfielder Chris Ligot then hit a single to center field which allowed Fong to contribute his own score which helped the Leopards to only be trailing by three.
“We were just trying to keep competing” Fong said. “The game wasn’t over yet.”
Unfortunately, MIT shut down La Verne’s comeback attempt with two more runs in the top of the ninth.
Sophomore infielder Ethan Rolland hit a sacrifice pop fly which brought home senior utility Jared Schwait.
The final score put the nail in the coffin when MIT junior outfielder Matt Johnson hit a home run down the in-field line which also brought home junior catcher Thomas Allison.
“I just wanted to battle it out at bat more and make the pitcher have to beat me,” Johnson said.
The Leopards drop to 4-5 in conference and 14-8 overall going into their next contest against New Rochelle at 11 a.m. Friday.
Dominic Honoré can be reached at dominic.honore@laverne.edu
