LOS ANGELES, Calif. (March 28, 2009) – After an early lead in game one, the Tigers saw that leas dissipate late, dropping the first of two games on Saturday 7-5 before No. 19 Cal Lutheran controlled game two, handing Occidental a 13-1 loss to close out the three-game series.

In the first game of the doubleheader, Oxy got a run in the first inning and added to the lead when Spencer Woolwine connected for a two-run home run to right center.

Trailing 3-1, CLU picked up a run in the fourth when junior Paul Hartmann popped up to shallow right field and a sliding catch by second baseman Daniel Kelley allowed junior Matt Martin to tag up and score from third. Cal Lutheran knotted the score in the sixth.

Richie Veihl led off the seventh with a double down the left field line before Jason Jebbia sent an RBI triple to left center, knocking the CLU starting pitcher out of the game. Kelley quickly jumped on the relief with an RBI single up the middle to score the fifth Tigers' run to push their lead to 5-3.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, Cal Lutheran wasn't done yet. In the bottom of the seventh CLU scored four runs with the ultimate winning run coming by way of a homerun off the bat of left fielder Jordan Ott.

Both starting pitchers lasted 6.1 innings with neither one getting a decision. Sophomore Ross Pomerantz (0-4) was tagged with the loss while CLU's Robbie Selden (2-2) got the win. Noel Banuelos allowed six hits and five runs (four earned) while striking out a pair.

Jebbia finished 3-for-4, a homerun shy of the cycle, scoring twice and driving in a run. Kelley also had a multi-hit game. Kelley and Anthony Salsedo each swiped a bag.

Again in the second game Occidental jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Glenn Gray scored after reaching on an infield single, but that would prove to be as much as the Tigers would get in the game.

Cal Lutheran (20-5, 8-1 SCIAC)  tied things up in the bottom of the second before piling on six runs in the third inning, which included a three-run home run to right center by senior Nick Dingman to give the Kingsmen a 7-1 lead. CLU added two runs in the fifth, three in the seventh and the final run of the game in the eighth.

Chase Tigert (5-1) earned the win for CLU while Brooks Belter lasted just 2.2 innings after being tagged for seven runs on seven hits while striking out three. Three other Tigers pitched in the game for Oxy. While the pitching staff struggled with control at times today Woolwine did a great job behind the plate.

Oxy collected seven hits in the game, two apiece from Woolwine and Gray who were each 2-for-3 with Woolwine also stealing second. Kieran Doherty added a pair of singles to right field. Tyler Eyrich was responsible for the final hit of the game, also pitching 1.2 innings, striking out two.

Occidental (10-15, 0-9 SCIAC) will be out of SCIAC action for two weeks as they travel to Atherton, Calif. this weekend for a pair against Menlo College.