Cruz Powers Royals to 11-7 Win Over DIII Leopards - Hope International University (2024)

Fullerton, CA – The No. 12 Hope International University baseball team (32-10) bounced back from their first loss in over a month as they took down the NCAA Division III University of La Verne Leopards 11-7 on Tuesday evening at home at Duane Winters Field in Fullerton, CA.

Joshua Ross got the start and pitched 3 innings allowing two runs on three hits while walking one and striking out three. Owen Dunn (2-0) picked up his second win in relief pitching two innings allowing one run on one hit while striking out two. JJ Cruz led the offense going 3-for-4 with 6 RBIs and two home runs.

Ross worked around a leadoff walk to retire the side in the top of the first while it took one pitch for the Royals to take the lead as David Rivera crushed his team leading 10th home run down the left field line to put the Royals up 1-0. The Royals would then make it 2-0 on an error before a sac fly by Dean Toigo put them up 3-0 after one. The Leopards struck back in the top of the second to make it 3-2 but Ross limited the damage by inducing a flyout to end the threat. The Royals then added to their lead in the bottom of the second as JJ Cruz came through with a two out RBI single to make it 4-2. Ross put the Leopards down in order in the top of the third while Toigo led the bottom of the inning off with a double and would come around to score on a wild pitch to increase the Royals lead to 5-2.

Dunn would then come in from the bullpen and pitch a scoreless top of the fourth getting two punchouts in the process. Cruz would then add two the Royals lead in the bottom half as he crushed a two run shot to right field to put the Royals up 7-2. The Leopards would pull a run back in the top of the fifth to make it 7-3 but the Royals would get it back in the bottom half on a sac fly by Branden Chun-Ming to make it 8-3. Again the teams exchanged runs in the sixth as the Leopards made it 8-4 before Cruz launched his second home run of the game and 10th of the season to up the Royals lead to 9-4.

The Leopards didn't give up as they rallied to make it 9-7 in the top of the seventh but Sakemi Sato limited the damage getting a groundout and a strikeout with the tying run at the plate to maintain the Royals lead. The Royals then struck again in the bottom of the seventh as Cruz looked to have hit a possible third home run of the game but if fell just short to the deepest part of the park leading to a sac fly to make it 10-7. Two batters later Toigo came through with an RBI single to increase the Royals lead to 11-7. The Leopards looked to rally in the bottom of the eighth as they loaded the bases with two outs off Gio Besio but he came back to strikeout the Leopards best hitter and keep them off the board. Steven Ordorica then came in to pitch a scoreless ninth while striking out the final batter of the game as the Royals won 11-7.

The Royals wrap up GSAC play on the road as they travel to Costa Mesa, CA to take on rival Vanguard beginning on Friday, April 19 at 11:00 AM with a doubleheader.