Donya Rouzbehi
Sports Editor
The Leopards dominated Minnesota Morris in a 19-1 win in the second game of a Tuesday doubleheader at Campus West. La Verne took the lead after struggling throughout the first game and losing, 3-2.
Head coach Danielle Kaminaka highlighted the team’s turnaround coming from game one to game two.
“We struggled in game one,” Kaminaka said. “It wasn’t the team that we’re used to. So then having the team show up and make that turn, that’s really hard to make, to bring that energy and dominate the way they did.”
The Leopards’ offense shifted the momentum after the first inning, taking the lead early in the game. Sophomore second baseman Janelle Vega started the offense for the Leopards with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Alexis Keifer, sophomore third baseman, followed Vega with a double, placing the runners on second and third base with no outs. Keifer set the stage for junior catcher Bryce Shroyer, who doubled to give the Leopards a 2-0 lead.
Junior first baseman Kileah Lologo reached on a single before freshman Sofia Carillo pinch ran. Carillo quickly made an impact by stealing second base.
Freshman designated player Allison Gutierrez added another single to keep the momentum going. Junior shortstop Mikayla Galaviz then singled up the middle, bringing in two more runs to extend the lead to 4-0. Junior left fielder Kylee Knight added a sacrifice fly to make the score 5-0.
“We had a rough first game, but we turned the second game around,” junior first baseman Aleiah Kupihea said. “We had all of each other’s backs and came full force with the energy, as well as just picking up our defense and our pitcher.”
The offensive onslaught continued in the second inning. After a line out, Lologo came through with a two-RBI single turning the lead to 7-0. The Leopards kept taking advantage of scoring opportunities. Gutierrez singled, then a wild pitch allowed the two runners to advance.
Galaviz singled to left field with another two runs for the Leopards, pushing the lead to 9-0 with two outs.
Senior right fielder Annica Luna and senior center fielder Allie Colenzo both reached base, then Vega delivered again with a ground-rule double to bring in two more runs. Shroyer blasted a three-run home run, giving her team a dominating 15-0 advantage.
“This team knows how to stick together and lift each other up,” Keifer said. “We work as a team, we’re all sisters here. Our passing the bat mentality was strong.”
By the end of the second inning, the game was in swift control with well-timed hitting and approach at the plate. The Leopards scored three more runs in the third inning and another in the fourth before the mercy rule was implemented in the fifth inning.
Angelina Garcia, freshman left-handed pitcher, went the distance, allowing just one run and striking out three.
“I have always strived to stay extra locked-in,” Garcia said. “Especially on days when I’m doing great, I’m feeling great and the pitches are working and everything. I know my defense is behind me, always.”
The Leopards are 9-8 overall and will play their next game at noon Saturday against Whitworth at Campus West.
Donya Rouzbehi can be reached at donya.rouzbehi@laverne.edu.
Donya Rouzbehi is a senior journalism major with a concentration in print/online journalism, and staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine. She has previously served as sports editor and a staff writer for the Campus Times, and is co-editor-in-chief of La Verne Magazine. Her other writing can be found at trillmag.com/author/donya-rouzbehi
Ronald Banks is a senior photography major and a staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine.
