Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

LA VERNE, Calif. - The Whittier College Baseball team opened up a three-game series with the University of La Verne on the road Friday but saw their quest for a berth into the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) come to a close following a 13-3 loss.

The Purple  & Gold drop to 18-17, 8-11 SCIAC.  They currently sit 6th in the SCIAC Standings.

Whittier got on the scoreboard in their opening at-bats stringing together a run on three hits.  Brandon Mulrooney (Placentia, Calif.) and Jarryd Samsing (Buckeye, AZ) started things off with back to back singles.  Nick Krska (Happy Valley, OR) tried to move both runners up with a sacrifice bunt but couldn't execute as Mulrooney was forced out at third.  Another fielders choice from Mason Blansett (Lodi, Calif.) put two outs on the board, but the very next batter freshman Dane Goodman (Ross, Calif.) was able to convert adding a single up the middle that brought in the go-ahead run.

La Verne got that run back and added another two in their opening at-bats to go on top 3-1 before tacking on another in the 3rd.  The Poets cut the lead in half with a run in the 5th off the bat of Samsing who doubled to right plating Daniel Tuerffs (Yorba Linda, Calif.) who reached earlier on an error by the left fielder.  But this would be as close as WC would get as ULV would add a five spot in the 6th on four hits that opened the game up.

WC was able to add their final run in the 7th with back to back doubles coming from Tuerffs and Mulrooney.  But this comeback would come up short as the game would be called in the 8th following the Leos adding four in their final at-bats.

Freshman Andrew Chavez (West Covina, Calif.) got the start and lasted 3.0 Innings giving up four runs on six hits as he drops to 0-3.  Mulrooney and Samsing each posted multi-hit games and each added RBI's.  Tuerffs was also 1-for-3 scoring twice.                   

Whittier wraps up the series with La Verne today, Saturday, April 27 with game times set for 11:00am and 2:30pm.