THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (Feb. 20, 2010) – Coming off a tough road trip in Arizona, the Tigers opened up their Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season on a high note with a 7-5 victory over the No. 20 California Lutheran University Kingsmen on the road on Friday afternoon.

Occidental opened up a 4-0 lead over their first three plate appearances, and used error-free defense throughout the game to pin the Kingsmen. CLU had the tying run at the plate in the seventh inning, in scoring position in the eighth and on first base in the ninth. However, Oxy reliever Ross Pomerantz, who came on in the seventh, got a strike out to end the first threat, a line drive near directly at the center fielder stopped the second and a routine double play finished the game.

The Tigers scored in each of its first three team at bats after Stephen Hilliard, Logan Allen and Pedro Aldape provided run-scoring base hits during his first SCIAC game for the Black and Orange. CLU's Greg Gelber, who was nearly untouched in his first two outings, allowed all seven runs, six earned in the loss.

Cal Lutheran cut the early 4-0 Tigers' lead in half in the bottom of the third inning when Matt Martin and Trevor Koons connected for back-to-back RBI-singles.

In the top of the fifth a one-out, two-strike bunt attempt by Jason Jebbia not only plated Allen, who stole third, but turned into a rally sparking RBI as Occidental posted three runs in the frame taking a 7-2 lead. Hilliard and Daniel Kelley each doubled in a run in the inning.

Josh Larson relieved Gelber in the fifth inning and held the Tigers scoreless over the final 4.2 innings.

CLU countered in the sixth after the first three hitters reached base including a two-run single by K. C. Judge. Kingsmen outfielder Chris Hertz connected for one of his two doubles later in the frame scoring one before pinch runner Nate Simpson was thrown out at home plate to create a one-run margin.

It would be the final run scoring play of the game as the Tigers handed the Kingsmen its first loss in a conference opener since the 2006 season.

Tigers starting pitcher Cory Popham picked up the win going 6.2 innings allowing five earned runs with two strikeouts. Pomerantz closed things out, getting the final seven outs allowing just one hit in the process.

Cal Lutheran (5-3, 0-1 SCIAC) will travel to Occidental (4-4, 1-0 SCIAC) for a Saturday doubleheader starting at 11:00 a.m. on Anderson Field.