By Jesse Caro, PO '12

CLAREMONT, CA - In a matchup that had been dominated by pitching, Nick Gentili (SO, Glendale, CA) decided to end the game with one swing of his bat. On the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth in a tie game, the designated hitter rocketed a low fastball into the trees behind the center-field fence to put a sudden end to a game that looked poised for extra innings.

The home run gave the Sagehens a 4-3 victory over the La Verne Leopards in the first game of a three-game series that was a pitchers' duel through and through. David Colvin (SR, Mill Valley, CA) started the game for P-P and allowed only two earned runs, three total, over eight innings of work. He struck out 11 batters and only walked two while giving up seven hits, and he was perfect the first time through the order.

Collin Majev (SO, Brooklandville, MD) came on to pitch the ninth in a tie game and earned his second collegiate victory with Gentili's bomb in the bottom of the inning.

Senior ace Mark Larini started for the Leopards, but he was left in for one pitch too many. He lasted 8 innings plus one pitch in the ninth, and was well over 100 pitches entering the final frame. He sent down five Sagehens on strikes while allowing no walks, and he gave up nine hits and four runs.

Right fielder James Campbell (JR, Lookout Mountain, TN) was one of the few Sagehens who had much success of Larini. He went 3-4 with two doubles, a single, and two runs batted in from the number five spot in the lineup. Teddy Bingham (SR, Claremont, CA) was 2-3 with a double, single, and the Sagehens first two RBI of the game, both times driving in Campbell.

After finishing up the series with La Verne, P-P will take on Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in a three-game set starting this Friday at 2:30 pm at Pomona-Pitzer's Alumni Field. The game will then move across Sixth Street for the final two games of the series on Saturday.