Game 1: Occidental 6, Cal Lutheran 5

Box Score

LOS ANGELES—With one out in the bottom of the seventh, runners on second and third, and the score even at 5-5, Occidental College softball player Nicole Hannasch (Canyon Country) singled in Jerika Barron (Half Moon Bay) for her second walk-off hit in as many days.

The Tigers (3-5, 2-2) got in an early 4-0 hole to Cal Lutheran behind two consecutive bases-loaded walks and a sacrifice fly in the second inning, plus an RBI single in the third.

Occidental came right back in the bottom of the third to put two runs on the board off an Ashley Noone (Orange) single to left center than brought in Amber Garland (Torrance) and Julia Nicholson (Upland).

Oxy held the Regals (1-9, 0-4) in the fourth, but errors brought in a run for Cal Lutheran in the top of the fifth inning.

Tigers pitcher Brittany Vacura (Elk Grove) held Cal Lu the remainder of the game and received three runs from her offense in the bottom of the sixth to pull the game to a tie heading into the final frame.

Vacura conceded one hit in the seventh, a single to left field by Shannon Tinsley, but forced three fly outs, putting the game in the hands of her teammates.

They did not disappoint.

Barron led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to center, followed by a Noone walk.

With Barron on second and Noone on first, Meghan Luera (Pasadena) moved the runners on a sacrifice bunt, bringing Hannasch up to bat in a familiar position, having singled in the winning run with one out on Friday afternoon against La Sierra.

Hannasch sent a bullet towards shortstop, giving Barron time to get a good jump on home. She made a great slide to avoid the tag, scoring the decisive sixth run.

"Nicole made great contact with the ball and Jerika made an amazing slide to beat the tag," Occidental softball coach Jodie Cox said. "This was our first conference victory and an incredibly exciting win for us. 

"We never gave up on this game. We were completely relentless and it paid off at the end."

Game 2: Occidental 6, Cal Lutheran 5

Box Score

After fighting back to claim the victory in game one of their Saturday doubleheader against Cal Lutheran, the Occidental College softball team cruised out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first inning of Game 2.

Oxy brought in four runs off five hits and two walks in the first frame, and senior Nicole Hannasch tripled to right in the fourth, scoring Meghan Luera and Jerika Barron, bringing the lead to 6-1.

After giving up a run in the second off a single by Brittany Labbe, Occidental pitcher Amber Garland held the Regals scoreless for four innings until Cal Lutheran scored two meaningless runs in the top of the seventh, securing her first win of the season.

"It was fitting the last out of the game went to Julia Nicholson in left field," Occidental coach Jodie Cox said. "She had a great game defensively and stepped up when we needed her to.

Nicholson also recorded a solid afternoon at the plate, going 1-2 with a walk and an RBI.

Barron went 2-4, Patricia Phillimeano went 2-3, and Hannasch followed up her game one performance by going 2-3 with one run scored and two RBIs.

"We had a great team effort today. I was very glad Amber was able to pick up the win. She threw really well all game."

Garland put up a stable performance from the pitching circle, with three strike outs, only two walks, and held the Regals to three earned runs.

"We literally used every single person on our team," Cox said. "Every person on the roster contributed today. Both wins were absolutely gutsy wins. We never gave up.

"We were not going to walk off the field today with a loss."