Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Poets who had to mix up their starting rotation and move their opening game from Friday to Sunday due to the passing of dual sport athlete Alyssa Sialaris saw the Leopards of the University of La Verne sweep the three game series winning 10-1, 1-0, and 8-2 to drop to 11-18, 8-10 SCIAC.
The Poets have now lost five straight and continue to struggle to find their offensive niche with starting center fielder and leadoff batter Corey Jensen on the bench with a sports hernia.
During their five game skid the Poets have combined for a mere five runs with a big three game series with Cal Lutheran University coming up this weekend on Friday and Saturday.
Game 1 (L, 10-1)
Whittier opened up the three game series on the road at Mt. SAC where the Leopards play their home contests and had Ben Cerami start the first game even though he is usually the Poets starter on Friday. Cerami survived 4.2 innings giving up six runs on 11 hits to go with six strikeouts.
Whittier jumped on the scoreboard first in the top half of the 1st due to a throwing error by the La Verne shortstop, which plated Stephen Zavala. But the Leopards stormed back taking the lead in the 2nd bringing three across thanks to a Hazel three run shot. This would be all the cushion they would need as they would bring across a pair in the 4th, 5th, and 6th, that opened the game up propelling them to the 10-1 lopsided win.
Julian Barzilli led the offensive unit finishing 2-4.
Game 2 (L, 1-0)
Last season on the road, senior right hander Ryan Schwenn threw a no hitter and sophomore lefty Thomas Hemington was looking to do the same Saturday evening going 7.0 innings strong but gave way to just one run in the bottom half of the 2nd, which proved to be enough for the Leos to come away with the 1-0 victory.
Whittier collected four hits with two coming from Zavala but the Purple & Gold were unable to get a runner past second base, which proved costly in the end.
Game 3 (L, 8-2)
The final game of the three game series took place on Sunday afternoon at Memorial Field but for the fifth straight game the Poets struggled to find their bats bringing across just two runs with one coming in the 8th.
Whittier opened up the scoring in the 2nd inning with a run thanks to a solo shot from Cerami who got his first start in the field playing left. But that would be the only offense put on the board for the Poets until the 8th when they plated one thanks to Max Bradshaw who singled through the right side scoring James Stafford who pinch ran for Cody Martinez who had doubled to right center.
La Verne added a run in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th to take a three run lead until they brought around three in the 6th chasing Nick Garcia who finished 5.1 innings giving up six runs on 13 hits suffering his fourth loss of the season.
But the Leos didn't stop there as they brought around two more for insurance helping them pull out the 8-2 victory.
Martinez led the offense in his biggest output of the season finishing 3-4 with two doubles.
Whittier opens up a three game series with Cal Lutheran this weekend with a road contest on Friday, April 12 before returning home for a doubleheader against the Kingsmen on Saturday, April 13 with game times slated for 11:00am and 2:30pm.
