LOS ANGELES, Calif. (April 11, 2008) –
Back-to-back hits in the tenth inning gave the Tigers a 6-5 victory
over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in Southern California Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference play today on Anderson Field.
The game was tied 5-5 after nine. Occidental
looked to a defensive showcase by freshman Alex
Bukac who stretched into a split at first base, picking a
ball out of the dirt, for the second out of the tenth before
sophomore right fielder Geoff Ball then ended the
inning with a diving catch, holding the Stags scoreless.
Freshman shortstop Case
Miyahira promptly led off with a single. Glenn
Gray then doubled to centerfield sending Miyahira sliding
across the plate for the winning run. The dugout emptied and both
Miyahira and Gray were swarmed by teammates.
Occidental saw themselves at an early 2-0
deficit after the first half inning, but answered with a run of
their own in the bottom of the first as designated hitter
Seth Goss scored on a single by Gray.
In the third inning Adam
Franks connected for his first homerun of the season,
tying things at 2-2.
The teams exchanged runs in the fourth.
Spencer Woolwine, filling in at the hot corner for
an injured Richie Veihl, singled and scored on Miyahira's
first hit of the game.
CMS added a run in the seventh, which was
unearned, to put the Stags up 5-3.
Patrick Sarkissian and
Woolwine singled before rounding the bases on a two-out pinch-hit
double to right center off the bat of junior transfer Ryan
Falck to again tie things up.
Rookie southpaw Kris Suzuki
tossed 3.0 scoreless innings in relief to record the victory after
entering the game with no outs and a runner on second in the top of
the eighth. He allowed one hit, facing just one batter over the
minimum. Eight of the batters he faced were retired on the ground.
The Tigers starter Matthew
Jones scattered 10 hits, allowing five runs (four earned)
while striking out four. Jones struck out the final batter in each
of the first three innings, two swinging, one looking.
Miyahira and Gray were each 3-for-6 with
Miyahira driving in a run and scoring one, while Gray batted in a
pair. Sarkissian also picked up three hits in the game. Franks and
Woolwine each had a pair. Goss swiped two bases today, bringing his
season total to 17.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps' second baseman
Travis Nishioka and right fielder Alex Weber-Shapiro each collected
three hits. Weber-Shapiro had a trio of doubles. On the hill for
the Stags David Noble threw 6.0 innings, allowing four runs (three
earned) on 10 hits and struck out three. Ryan Kaup was credited
with the loss as he worked an inning, striking out two, walking two
(both intentionally in the ninth) and allowing the two hits and
final run of the game.
Occidental improves to 11-16 overall, 3-7 in
SCIAC play as CMS falls to 23-6, 10-3.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow on Arce
Field in Claremont for the final two games of the season series.
First pitch is slated for 11:00 a.m.
Tigers
congratulate Glenn Gray (second from right) after his game-winning
double (Photo: Tracy Maple).
