LOS ANGELES — Freshman Samantha Yee shined in her Oxy debut, driving in the game-winning run in Game 2 of an opening-day doubleheader to give Oxy a 5-4 win over St. Katherine on Saturday. The Tigers fell 7-1 in Game 1. 

Game 2: Occidental 5, St. Katherine 4

Tied 4-4 entering the bottom of the 7th, Mackensie Priley got Oxy started with a single to left field. Priley then advanced to second on a wild pitch before Mariah Montgomery got a free pass to first after being hit by a pitch. 

Yee then stepped up to the plate and smacked the ball to left center, sending Priley sprinting around third base and just beating the throw to the plate. 

"They had been throwing around Sam all day," said Oxy head coach Alison Haehnel. "Once she got her pitch, she made the most of her opportunity and came up huge for us."

The Tigers led for most of the game with freshman Dallas Boyce making her debut in the circle. It wasn't until the top of the 5th when Sam Harris connected on a pitch and sent it over the center field wall to bring the Firebirds within one. Mariesa Davies scored in the top of the 7th following a Laura Nelson sacrifice fly setting up Yee's game-winning RBI.

"Our pitchers did a great job hitting their spots and had a lot of movement on the ball, Haehnel continued. "They got their first games under their belt and are ready to move forward from here."

Priley had a huge day for the Tigers totalling three RBI's, three hits, and two runs scored. She sparked the Tigers in the bottom of the first, hitting a deep ball to right field that rolled to the fence as she hustled around the bases and scored on a inside the park home run. In the next inning  after Olivia Thayer walked and Dallas Gunney got on base with a single, Priley doubled, scoring the pair and putting Oxy up 3-0.

In the bottom of the third Alex Battest, who had a great game behind the plate, doubled to center driving in Yee, giving Oxy the 4-0 lead.

"Despite being very young, our players are competitive and taking on their roles," said Haehnel. "Our returners are leading our team and our freshman are playing with a veteran maturity."

Game 1: St. Katherine 7, Occidental 1

The Firebirds jumped on the Tigers early in Game 1 of the doubleheader, scoring two runs in the top of the 1st inning and four more in the top of the second.

Oxy scored its lone run in the bottom of the third after Kaitlin Cappetto singled to left field. Priley got on base with an infield single, moving Cappetto to second. Next up, Montgomery singled to right bringing in Cappetto. 

St. Katherine got on the board one more time in the top of the 4th bringing the score to 7-1.

Next Game: The Tigers next travel to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Feb. 14. Game 1 starts at noon.