LA VERNE / WHITTIER, CA. (APR. 26/27, 2024)- The Whittier College Poets honored their graduating seniors in a weekend series against the University of La Verne Leopards. The games did not go in the Poets favor though, as they dropped all three by final scores of 3-8, 4-26, and 5-12.
GAME 1:
In the first game of the series, the Poets traveled to La Verne to take on the Leopards in their home ballpark. Whittier kept this game early at the start, but one bad inning led to their eventual downfall.
The Leopards got on the board first scoring 3 runs in the second inning after a big triple down the first base line. Whittier would then answer in the top of the third inning.
Starting the third off, Nathan Sherman (Ventura, Calif., Buena HS) was hit by a pitch and Teige Barrett (San Diego, Calif., Mira Mesa HS) singled through the right side. Lew Rice (Walkerton, Va., IMG Academy) stepped to the plate next and crushed a 3-run homer over the right field fence. The game was now tied at 3.
La Verne would then score 1 in the fourth inning and then take advantage of some Whittier mistakes in the bottom of the sixth and score another 4. The Poets were not able to get their offense rolling again in this game and would eventually drop it by a final score of 8-3.
The Poets put up 9 hits in this game, Rice paced the way from them with 3 while Barrett had 2 of his own. Sherman, Joe Plaskett (Fremont, Calif., Washington HS), James Stirton (Cerritos, Calif., Valley Christian HS), and Luis Guillermo Chavarin Jr. (Fullerton, Calif., Sonora HS, Cerritos College) also each contributed a hit. Marcos Armenta Jr. (Bellflower, Calif., Gahr HS) pitched the final 2.2 innings of this game and only surrendered 1 unearned run to the Leos.
Game 2:
The second game of the weekend was on Saturday and was the first of the double-header at Whittier. This game however did not go in the Poets favor either. After La Verne scored 3 in the first, the Poets answered back early.
Starting the bottom half of the first inning, Sherman singled, Barrett walked, and then Rice drew a walk for himself to load the bases. Maximus Berber (Riverside, Calif., Ramona HS) then stepped up and drove a double through the left side that allowed 2 runs to come in. Ian Watanabe (Lodi, Calif., Lodi HS) followed that up with a single of his own up the middle to score 2 more runs for Whittier. The Poets had a 4-3 lead at the end of the first.
This is where the Whittier offense would end though as they were not able to get anything else going this game. On the pitching side the Poets also struggled this game. Tanner Salazar (La Mirada, Calif., La Mirada HS) and Anthony Betancourt (Oxnard, Calif., Rio Mesa HS, Ventura College) pitched the final 2 innings for Whittier and did not give up a run, but the game was out of hand at this point. The Leos would win this one by a final score of 26-4.
Game 3:
In the third and final game of the series, the Poets out hit the Leopards, but La Verne was able to take advantage of walks and won this one by a final score of 12-5.
Whittier once again scored early in this game. In the second inning, Watanabe doubled to left-center field and was brought into score on a Cam Gray (Bloomington, Ind., Bloomington North HS) 2-out single to the right side. The Poets were up 1-0 at the end of the second.
The fourth inning is when the wheels fell off for the Poets. The Leopards were able to go through 4 different Poet pitchers on their way to scoring 8 runs in the top half of this inning. Whittier got 1 run back in the bottom half of the inning after Rice, Berber, and Chavarin each had singles, but at the end of the fourth were trailing 8-2.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, now trailing 11-2, the Poets were able to string together some hits. Rice led the inning off with a walk and on a Berber single to left field. Then Abe Bullard (Paynesville, Minn., Paynesville HS) had a pinch-hit single to left field to bring Rice into score. Delvan Gomez (Artesia, Calif., Gahr HS, Cerritos College) ended the inning off singling up the middle to bring the second run across for Whittier, who was not trailing 11-4.
After La Verne score 1 more in the top of the ninth, Whittier had one last chance in the bottom half of the inning. Stirton doubled down the left field line then Rice was able to reach base on an error. After Joseph Leyva (Downey, Calif., Warren HS, LA Harbor JC) drew a walk to load the bases, Chavarin was walked himself and Whittier got a run across the plate. This is how the game would end though, in a 12-5 Poet defeat.
Whittier will have one final series in their season next weekend, as they are scheduled to take on the Pomon-Pitzer Sagehens. The first game of this series will be the final one at home for the season on Friday the 3rd at 3:30, make sure to come out and support the team one final time!
Prior to Saturday's games beginning, the graduating seniors of both teams were honored in a ceremony.
Whittier graduating seniors:
#5 Lew Rice (Walkerton, Va.) (OF)
Major - Graphic Design
Plans after graduation: I will be continuing school and playing baseball somewhere closer to home
#7 Braydon Williams (Los Angeles, Calif.) (P)
Major: Business marketing
Plans after graduation: Will be heading to Croatia for 5 months to play and coach to help expand the game into Europe.
#9 James Stirton (Cerritos, Calif.) (OF)
Major: Business Administration
Plans after school: Going to USC for a master's in accounting
#11 Zach Kennedy (Sacramento, Calif.) (P)
Major: Business Administration
Plans after graduation: I plan to move back to Sacramento and pursue a career in sports management
#15 Tanner Salazar (La Mirada, Calif.) (P)
Major: Mathematics / Minor: English
Plans after Graduation: I will be attending the Whittier College Graduate Credential Program to pursue a career in teaching.
#19 Luis Guillermo Chavarin Jr. (Fullerton, Calif.) (3B)
Major: kinesiology
Plans after graduation: plans to join masters program in exercise science and start coaching
#21 Teige Barrett (San Diego, Calif.) (OF/1B/P)
Major: Kinesiology
Plans after graduation: Attend graduate school
#23 Cam Gray (Bloomington, Ind.) (C)
Major- business administration > marketing concentration
Plans after graduation: Attending blue line aviation to finish training to become pilot
#24 Abe Bullard (Paynesville, Minn.) (1B)
Major: Political science / Minor: history
Plans after school: Attend law school
#28 Nate Burke (Glendale, Calif.) (P)
Major: Business Administration and Political Science
Plans after school: Work in data analytics for a baseball team and eventually become a general manager
#43 Anthony Betancourt (Oxnard, Calif.) (P)
Major: Sociology
Plans after school: I plan on applying for the Sheriffs and the CHP and maybe get into coaching later on
#45 Delvan Gomez (Artesia, Calif.) (SS)
Major: History
Plans after graduation: To go play independent ball then become a baseball coach.
#47 Matthew Helguera (Montebello, Calif.) (P)
Major: Biology / Minor: Chemistry
Plans after graduation: To get my Masters Degree and play one more year of baseball
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