LOS ANGELES – The Occidental College softball team lost a pair of SCIAC games to La Verne at Bell Field on Friday. Oxy plays at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday.

Game 1: La Verne 4, Occidental 2

A brilliant performance through six innings by pitcher Brittany Vacura (Elk Grove) nearly won it for the Tigers.

But despite the senior ace pitching a perfect game through six innings, Oxy gave up four runs in the seventh, losing Game 1 of the doubleheader 4-2.

Vacura seemed to be clicking on all cylinders until things got away from her in the seventh.

An error on a slow-hit grounder to shortstop broke up the perfect game, she lost the no-hitter when Breeanna De La Rosa (Yorba Linda) singled on a bad hop near the same area and she lost the shutout when a double to left center by Raven Freret (Aliso Viejo) scored the first of four runs in the inning.

The Tigers went down 1, 2, 3 in the bottom half of the seventh.

Up until then, it was a career outing.

Vacura allowed very few hard-hit balls through six innings and struck out five of her six batters.

Oxy (11-22, 2-20 SCIAC) took the lead early as a single by Jacqueline Shimamoto (Santa Clarita) easily knocked in Ali Goldberg (Los Altos) and Jerika Barron (Half Moon Bay) as Shimamoto was able to reach third due to an error in left field. Shimamoto continued her strong season at the plate. Her .429 batting average ranks fifth in the SCIAC.

Like their last meeting this season, the battle between the Tigers and Leopards (20-13, 12-11 SCIAC) was a pitchers duel. La Verne and Occidental combined for nine hits, with no walks being drawn by either side.

The top of the order provided all of the offense for the Tiger's lineup. Leadoff hitter Goldberg was the only player in the game with multiple hits, (she went 2 for 3) and scored one of Oxy's two runs. Barron and Shimamoto, the two and three hitters, each went 1 for 3.

Game 2: La Verne, 10, Occidental 5

Game 2 of the doubleheader displayed two different Tigers teams. One that quieted La Verne bats, and one that didn't.

The Tigers (11-23, 2-20 SCIAC) started off the game with a run as Shimamoto scored on a wild pitch in the first inning. The Leopards (21-13, 13-11 SCIAC) quickly answered by scoring 5 runs in the second.

Then from the second through the sixth inning, the Tigers kept the La Verne bats from inflicting further damage. The Tigers relievers, including Game 1 starter Vacura and Goldberg, gave up just one run during the stretch.

Oxy also scored two more runs, as Goldberg scored on an error in the third, and off a single by Morgan Giusti (Millbrae), which scored Barron in the fifth.

What at first looked like it might have the makings of a comeback was cut short after a two-run rally. With no outs, Barron walked and was knocked in by a Shimamoto double to deep left field. Senior Ashley Noone (Orange) hit a seed up the middle to score Shimamoto from third.

In the seventh La Verne added four more runs to its lead, highlighted by a three-run home run to left by Jackie Duran (Carson).

Shimamoto went 1 for 3 with an RBI, 2 runs, and a walk.

Barron went 2 for 2 with two runs scored and 2 walks.