LOS ANGELES, CALIF.  (Mar. 7, 2009) – The Tigers hosted the Sagehens this afternoon, looking for a sweep in conference play, but had to settle for a split as they made enough big plays in game one to squeak out the win, but some cold bats were to much to overcome in game two. 

In game one of the double header, Occidental came out early, pushing two runs across in the bottom of the first to grab the lead.  Oxy capitalized on two Sagehen miscues, as leadoff hitter Olympia Powell was hit by a pitch and then Gabriela Chavez reached second safely on a throwing error, pushing Powell to third.  Alyssa Smith then made the most of this opportunity by cracking a long single to left to clear the bases. 

The Sagehens responded quickly, though, taking the lead back from the Tigers in the next half inning.  Pomona opened the top of the second with a triple, followed by an infield single, that brought a delayed double steal call by head coach JoAnne Ferguson that worked to bring home a run without swinging a bat.  The visitors had runners again on the corners, after a single, but this time an Oxy throwing error allowed both to score and left the Tigers trailing by one.

Oxy would not wait long to respond, in the bottom of the third, as Chavez came up big in this half of the inning.  She led off the inning with a single, stole second, then advanced to third on a ground out, and snuck in on a groundout RBI by Alyssa Escalante.  Some very aggressive base running got the Tigers another run, and put the game into a tie.

With the score still tied at three, Chavez was facing a two out situation with a runner in scoring position, in the bottom of the sixth.  The Oxy shortstop came up big, again, smashing a single into the gap that brought in the go ahead and eventual winning run.  Shanna Yackel then took the mound for one more inning, nailing down the victory with a one two three seventh.  The win was first of the conference for the Tigers and extended their win streak to three.

In the second game, the momentum shifted quickly in favor of the Sagehens, as the jumped on Oxy pitcher Kimi Elguea, loading the bases in the first.  But Elguea battled out of it, holding the visitors to a single run.  She was unable to conjure up the same magic in the second, as she once again faced bases loaded, but this time she surrendered a grand slam.  The tigers were now on the wrong end of five nothing deficit.

It looked like that five run lead would hold up, as Oxy entered the bottom of the seventh still trailing, looking for a spark.  Following a one out walk by Britt Karp, Tasta Serna-Gallegos gave them that jolt, lining a double into left center bringing home Karp and giving Oxy some hope.  A fly out, brought up what looked like the final batter of the day, Rebecca Nashleanas, but she hits a screamer to the short stop who doesn't have a handle on it before rushing her throw to first, flailing wide of the bag.  Nashleanas advances to second and Gallegos scores.  The deficit cut to three, with Powell coming to the plate, who keeps the rally alive with a double down the left field foul line.  Bringing home Nashleanas, and bring the tying run, Chavez, to the plate.  Chavez then proceeds to ground to short, but beats the throw with a head first slide.  Runners at the corners and the winning run coming to the plate, but the rally would end with a flyout to left, and the Sagehens surviving to earn the conference split.

Occidental improves to 3-7 on the season and 1-5 in SCIAC play, returning to action tomorrow with a double header with La Sierra scheduled to begin at noon on Bell Field.