From left, Joe LaFountain and Jerry Terry homered in the first inning to give La Verne an early 3-0 lead.

Using home runs from Joe LaFountain, Jerry Terry and Cole Smith, the 10-year-old La Verne all-stars outmuscled Claremont 9-8 on Thursday night at Glendora South Hills.

Helping to seal the narrow victory, La Verne centerfield Brock Johnson made a spectacular diving catch of a sinking line drive in the bottom of the sixth.

In the top of the first, La Verne got right to work, scoring three runs on a solo homer by LaFountain and a two-run blast by Terry with Johnson aboard.

In the top of the second, La Verne wasn’t nearly as fortunate. With the bases loaded, Terry grounded to the first baseman who threw home to try to force Smith, but the throw was wide, allowing both Smith and LaFountain to spike the plate. The umpire, however, ruled that Johnson, attempting to go to second on the play, had interfered with the first baseman. After some controversy and suspension of play, the umpires huddled and took the two runs off the board because of the interference, nullifying what might have been a big inning.

Meanwhile, in the bottom of the second, Claremont tied the score 3-3, and the ball game was on.

In the top of the third, La Verne was back in business, scoring two runs, the big blows coming on doubles by Noah Woodall and Matt Marshall. Claremont rallied for one run in the bottom half to trail, 5-4.

After both teams went scoreless in the fourth inning, both La Verne and Claremont had their biggest offensive outbursts in the fifth. In the top half, Ryan McGlohon led off with a single. Michael Peplin followed with a single, Jesse Ramirez got aboard on an error to score McGlohon and then Smith rocked the three-run homer to put La Verne up 9-4.

“It was my first home of the season,” said Smith.”

It couldn’t have come at a better time, and proved to be the game winner because Claremont scored four runs in the bottom of the inning, sending eight hitters to the plate before La Verne pitcher Andrew Castro restored order. Aided by Johnson’s great catch in center field, Castro set Claremont down in order in the bottom of the sixth, allowing La Verne to escape with the 9-8 nail biter.

With the win, La Verne moves to 3-0 in the tournament.

When you’re thinking about your next construction project, give John Paddock of La Verne Construction a call. Great guy. Honest prices! (909) 392-3432!