WHITTIER, CA. (February 29, 2025)- The Whittier College Poets resumed conference play Friday afternoon against the University of La Verne Leopards.
Maximus Berber (Riverside, Calif., Ramona) pitched well into the sixth inning of this game, but a few mistakes in the field cost the Poets this one as they dropped it by a final score of 6-2.
Berber toed the mound for Whittier and was able to get some quick run support in this game. In the bottom of the first inning,
Matthew Mecate (Highland, Calif., CSU Dominguez Hills) doubled off the right-center field fence. After getting to third on a wild pitch, Mecate came around to score on an
Ian Watanabe (Lodi, Calif., Lodi) single up the middle.
The score remained 1-0 until the fourth inning, when some errors cost the Poets 3 runs. The Leos were able to take advantage of a lapse in the Whittier defense and took a 3-1 lead. Berber would go on to settle things down, finishing the day going 6 innings giving up 5 hits, only 1 earned run, and striking out 6.
In the top half of the seventh the Leos extended their lead. Scoring 3 runs on 4 hits to take a 6-1 lead. The Purple and Gold had a few chances to strike back, but ultimately fell short.
Sevon Battle (Las Vegas, Nev., Baker College) started the bottom half of the eighth with a single. Then getting to second on a wild pitch, scored on a pinch-hit
Alex Jasso (South Gate, Calif., Maywood Center for Enriched Studies) single to right field. This would be the last run to come across the plate, as Whittier would drop this one by a final of 6-2.
Mecate reached base 3 times, but the Whittier bats never got going in this game. They will look to bounce back tomorrow, as they travel to La Verne for games 2 and 3 of this series. The first game of the double-header will kick-start at 11:00 AM.
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