LOS ANGELES — Alex Battest hit a three-run homer that started a four-run rally and the Occidental softball team earned a comeback victory over La Verne, 4-3 in Game 1 of its doubleheader with the Leopards on Saturday.

La Verne won the second game 6-2, capitalizing on an error in the top of the seventh to score four runs. Samantha Yee and Olivia Thayer both recorded RBIs in Game 2. 

Oxy now sits at 2-4 overall and 1-3 in SCIAC play. The Leopards are now 7-5 and 3-1.

Battest's shot was a liner over the center-field wall that scored Yee and Mariah Montgomery, tying the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth in Game 1. Then Thayer tripled to left, bringing in Dallas Boyce for the go-ahead run.

Thayer, Oxy's starting pitcher for Game 1, totaled three strikeouts, kept the Leopards off the scoreboard through five innings, and shut down the Leopards in the seventh, finishing off her complete game and earning the win. 

Boyce finished 2 for 3 for the Tigers and pitched all seven innings of Game 2 for Oxy.

From the Coach: "I was really pleased with the way we competed in both games," Oxy head coach Ali Haehnel said. "La Verne is a good team and we're a young team, so to come back from down three runs in the first game is a good sign. We need to continue to get better, but I'm excited about our group."

Next Game: The Tigers play a non-conference doubleheader against Linfield at Bell Field on Sunday, beginning at noon.