LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Feb. 8, 2009) – After another morning
of field fix-up the Tigers and Missionaries resumed their suspended
game from 17 hours earlier. Although the Tigers forced
extra-innings, they came up short after Whitman's Jay Richard
connected for a 2-run 12th inning homerun. Occidental
bounced back to score 28 runs on 26 hits in the rubber game of the
weekend, winning 28-3.
Oxy entered the bottom of the ninth inning with runners at
second and third and Kevin Ozaki at the plate with
a 2-1 count. His groundball to shortstop scored Dale
Garrett before second baseman Dan Kelley
singled to left field, scoring Alex Bukac with the
tying run. The Tigers left a pair of men on the bases and were
unable to comeback once again, although Anthony
Salsedo made a valiant effort at sparking a two-out rally
with a double down the left field line in the bottom of the
12th.
Noel Banuelos took the ball for the Tigers,
throwing 3.0 innings, striking out a pair in the loss. Blaine
Mercado was credited with the win for Whitman after tossing 3.2
scoreless innings, allowing three hits and walking no one.
The rubber game of the series was three hour and eight minute
massacre that saw 34 hits and 31 runs scored by the teams combined.
Occidental walked away with a 28-3 victory behind a 4-for-7, nine
RBI day from third baseman Richie Veihl who
connected for three homeruns, including a pair of grand slams.
In the sixth and seventh innings combined Occidental sent 29 men
to the plate, collecting 14 hits as 13 different players scored 20
runs.
Also enjoying a four-hit day (two doubles) was Kieran
Doherty who played first base before pitching a scoreless
eighth, striking out the side. Occidental shortstop Jason
Jebbia was a homerun shy of the cycle, although he nearly
drove a seventh inning pitch out as it hit the right field wall for
a double, while scoring four times. Kelly also collected three hits
and scored three runs. Jebbia drove in a pair and Ennis drove a
ball just inside the bag at third founding its way down into the
left field corner for a 2-RBI seventh inning double.
Joining Veihl with a long ball today was sophomore left fielder
Nick Saraceni whose solo shot down the left field
line in the second got out in a hurry. Saraceni, Garrett and
Ryan Falck each had two hits. Bukac, Salsedo,
Garrett, Falck, Tyler Eyrich and Cameron
Yeun-Shore each crossed the plate twice.
Banuelos started, after tossing the final three innings of the
series' second game, lasting 2.2 innings before giving way to
Brooks Belter, who recorded his second win of the
season. Belter struck out two, scattering three hits over 3.1
innings. Nicholas Smallman threw a hitless,
scoreless seventh and Spencer Woolwine did the
same in the ninth to close it out.
In the field Veihl and Jebbia had four assists apiece while
Kelley had three assists and two putouts. Doherty had 14 putouts
and Garrett had six behind the plate.
Whitman's centerfielder Brian Kitamura homered down the
right field line in the third and also recorded the final five outs
for the Missionaries. Jason Sease was the only player to collect
multiple hits with a pair of singles. Mercado got the loss,
throwing 4.0 innings.
The Tigers improve to 5-1 on the season while Whitman returns to
Walla Walla, Wash. with a 1-2 start to their 2009 season.
Occidental will take the field again on Saturday afternoon for a
double header (nine innings and seven innings) with Lewis &
Clark with the first pitch slated for 11:00 a.m. on Anderson Field.
