PASADENA, Calif. (Apr. 2, 2022) – Caltech Baseball wrapped up their three-game SCIAC series against the first-place University of La Verne in a brisk, overcast Saturday morning and afternoon doubleheader.

While the Leopards showed no mercy and further cemented their footing atop the standings, the Beavers put together some brilliant displays at the plate and on the field.

The series commenced Friday at La Verne's home field, where junior Jack Warren (Foster City, Calif. / San Mateo) connected for two singles in his three at-bats, with senior Spiro Stameson (Newport Beach, Calif. / Newport Harbor) making contact for the Beavers' third hit.  Senior Matthew Szedlock (Westminster, Md. / Gerstell Academy) pitched three innings in relief to close out the game, striking out three batters swinging and allowing just two earned runs without any walks.

Warren came out swinging in Caltech's first at-bat of the Saturday morning game to reach base on a first-pitch single, and senior Dawson Beutler (Omaha, Neb. / Millard West) immediately followed up with a single of his own on his first offering from the La Verne starter. Beutler singled again with one out in the bottom of the third inning.

Sophomore Leo Jenkins (New York, N.Y. / Beacon) clobbered one to left center in the fourth inning for the first extra-base hit of the day for Caltech, and freshman Jack Fishel (Baltimore, Md. / Boys' Latin School of Maryland) and junior Will Dembski (Pella, Iowa / Pella Christian) picked up back-to-back singles in the fifth.  

Highlighting on defense in the game were junior pitcher Steven Yee who recorded three strikeouts during his outing, and Fishel at shortstop, sophmore Darren Rhodes (Waco, Texas / Midway), and freshman Cameron McNamee (Great Falls, Mont. / Great Falls) combining for two double plays in the contest.

In Saturday's second game, Beutler blasted a solo home run to left field in his first appearance to put the Beavers on the scoreboard early. Rhodes and Stameson each singled in the fourth only to be left left on base, but Dembski tallied another run for the Beavers with a bomb to right field to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning.  Warren and Rhodes came to bat later in the inning and notched back-to-back singles. 

Caltech ended the top of the sixth inning with another double play, this time with Rhodes corralling a ground ball and stepping on second base himself before tossing to McNamee.  Stameson would pick up one more single in the sixth inning to cap a two-for-two effort in the game.

Head Coach Kevin Whitehead and the Beavers continue their SCIAC campaign with a home game Friday, Apr. 8 against Chapman University.