Occidental ended a three-game slump in dramatic fashion Saturday
at Anderson Field, scoring two runs in the bottom of the
ninth inning for a 7-6 victory over Whitworth College. The Tigers
won game two of the doubleheader 6-4.
Oxy improved its overall record to 16-15 and can equal its
highest win total since 1990 with four wins in the next nine games.
Whitworth fell to 10-17 overall.
Occidental scored four runs in the first two innings in game
one, taking a 4-0 lead on a home run by Tyler Colville '07 to lead
off the second. Starting pitcher Jayson Wiilliams '07 was
untouchable through the first four innings but Whitworth put
together a two-run rally in the fifth on a pair of singles, a walk
and a wild pitch.
The Pirates mounted a four-run rally with two outs in the
seventh after three straight base hits, a defensive miscue in right
field, and a double by third baseman Alex Scarpelli.
Adam Franks '08 singled to lead off the ninth and pinch runner
Seth Goss '08 scored on a base hit by Patrick Sarkissian '10, who
went 3 for 5 with three runs batted in in the game. Whitworth
leftfielder J.J. Jones made an incredible over-the-shoulder catch
to rob Glenn Gray '10 moments later but Ryan Snell walked the next
three Tigers to provide the game-winning run.
Phillip Kafka '09 allowed one hit in 2 1/3 innings of relief,
recording his second win in eight days. Occidental has claimed five
victories in its last at-bat this season.
Marcus Stoiber '09 pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings to preserve a
5-4 lead in game two. The Tigers scored an important insurance run
on a single from Matt Andersen '08 in the fifth. Sarkissian clubbed
a three-run homer in the third while Andersen, Franks, and Gray
recorded two hits apiece.
Kafka retired the Pirates in order in the seventh to pick up his
second save of the season.
Occidental enters the stretch run of its conference season with
a 3pm date against Redlands Friday, April 13 at Anderson Field. The
Tigers travel to Redlands for an 11am doubleheader on Saturday
April 14th.
