Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
LA VERNE, Calif. – The Whittier College Baseball team failed to hold a late lead Friday afternoon as they fell 10-9 to the University of La Verne.
The Purple & Gold saw themselves in front 9-6 in the middle of the 8th but saw the Leos come back to put up four in the bottom half of the frame to steal game one of the three game series.
ULV went out in front early 3-0 in the first two innings. Whittier got two back in the 3rd thanks to a Matthew Macey (Oceanside, Calif.) single to left that scored Tanner Marcoe (Northridge, Calif.) and Charlie Mayfield (Placentia, Calif.) cutting the deficit to one. But in the bottom half the Leopards would tack on another two that extended the lead back to three.
Marcoe singled in Michael Angulo (Sunnyvale, Calif.) in the 4th that kept WC in striking distance and Jake Raynaud (Los Gatos, Calif.) would cap off the run with a three run shot in the 5th that deadlocked the game at 6-6.
The Poets kept it going in the 8th bringing across another three runs on four hits to go in front for the first time as Brandon Mulrooney (Placentia, Calif.) and Raynaud singled in a pair of runs, while Hank Burditt (Granada Hills, Calif.) grounded out to the pitcher bringing in the final tally.
But that lead wouldn't hold as ULV would come back to rally in the bottom half of the frame, while picking up just one hit and capitalizing on three walks and a hit batsman.
Mayfield had a game finishing 3-4 with a run scored. Marcoe also picked up three hits coming across twice and driving in one, while Macey was 3-4 with two runs scored and two RBI'S.
Raynaud swung a hot bat finishing 2-5 scoring once and driving in four, with Angulo going 2-5.
Dante Mancia (La Mirada, Calif.) got the start and earned the no decision going 3.1 innings giving up six runs on 10 hits. Royce Komesu (Kailua, HI) earned the loss as he surrendered the four runs, while walking two in 0.2 innings.
Whittier concludes their 2017 season tomorrow, Saturday, April 29 as they host La Verne with a double header with first pitches set for 11:00am and 2:30pm. Senior Day will take place prior to game number one.
