REDLANDS, Calif. – To begin the final round-robin schedule of the 2011 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball schedule, Occidental College opened a 9-0 lead on the University of Redlands, but a rocky sixth, seventh and eighth allowed the Bulldogs a come-from-behind victory, 13-9, to complete a season sweep over the Tigers.

Oxy pounced on the No. 21 Bulldogs (23-8, 17-5 SCIAC) early, scoring four in the first, three in the second and tacking on one more in the third, while holding the Maroon and Gray scoreless through five.

The Tigers collected more hits, 13, than the Bulldogs, 11, but also committed more errors, four, than the home squad, three.

Leadoff man Anthony Salsedo singled in his first two at-bats and was hit by a pitch in the third, scoring each of the three times he reached base. Logan Allen collected an infield single his first time to the plate, scoring Salsedo with the first run of the afternoon at The Yard. Designated hitter Stephen Hilliard followed suit with an RBI triple to the right center field gap. Pedro Aldape was hit by a pitch and both came around to score in the opening frame.

In the second, Oxy manufactured three runs with help from a UR error and wild pitch with Aldape capping the inning off with an RBI single.

Allen was responsible for the third inning run, which transpired when Salsedo was hit by a pitch, moving to second on a fielders choice, on which Kevin Ozaki reached. A double-steal put Ozaki and Salsedo at second and third, respectively, for Allen who collected his second RBI of the game.

The early lead was a comfortable one for Oxy's starting hurler Cory Popham, who shut the Bulldogs down through five, allowing just one hit, facing one man over the minimum. A leadoff homerun in the sixth inning by Ryan Buscemi sparked the UR offense, as they connected for three consecutive hits, scoring three times.

After Aldape drove in Allen for the final Tigers' run of the game in the top of the seventh, things went south for Oxy in the bottom of the frame. The pitching staff struggled to find the zone while the UR bats heated up when they did. Popham left with men on in the seventh after striking out three. Mitch Margolis had trouble getting men out and recorded just one out before handing the ball to Brooks Belter, who was tagged with the loss despite allowing just one earned run. A trio of walks hurt when a bases clearing triple by Chase Tucker cut the Oxy lead to just one at 9-8.

The Bulldogs posted their second consecutive five-run inning, taking a lead the Tigers could not regain.

Salsedo, Ozaki, Allen, Hilliard, Aldape and Dale Garrett each connected for two hits with Hilliard's triple serving as the only extra-base hit of the afternoon for the Black and Orange. Josh Throckmorton reached base three times, walking once and being hit twice. Salsedo was responsible for the only Oxy stolen base of the day.

Occidental falls to 10-22, 6-15 in SCIAC play with the loss. The Tigers will be back at Anderson Field for the first of a four-game home stand tomorrow, Saturday, April 16 when they host the Caltech Beavers for a single game beginning at 1:00 p.m. Live stats of the game will be available.

Article by Tracy Maple, Sports Information Director