LOS ANGELES — Eamon McNeil hit a three-run home run, Devon DeRaad hit his sixth long ball of the year, and the Occidental baseball team extended their win streak to nine games, beating Whittier 8-5 Saturday afternoon

Season Impact: The Tigers improve to 11-4 overall and 9-2 in SCIAC play.

The Poets drop to 5-11 and 2-6.

With the Tigers trailing 3-1 in the third, McNeil crushed a pitch over the right field fence, bringing in Charlie Caccamo and Jack Brancheau, putting Oxy ahead 4-1.

DeRaad's hot hitting carried over from game one when he hit two three-run home runs. This time around he hit a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 5-5.

The Tigers took a 6-5 lead in the sixth when Reid Gibbs laid down a sacrifice bunt to bring home Jared Baur, putting Oxy up for good.

Brancheau and Caccamo each had a solid game. Caccamo finished 3-5 with an RBI and run scored. Brancheau went 2-3 with two runs scored, an RBI, and a walk.

Oxy grabbed a couple insurance runs in the final innings, first with Brancheau scoring from third on a wild pitch in the seventh, and then in the eighth with Caccamo singling in Gibbs. 

Riley James got the win pitching 5.2 innings of relief with six strikeouts and no earned runs. Scott Ericksen pitched 3.1 innings in his start with two strikeouts.

Next Game:  The Tigers play at Whittier tomorrow at noon to make-up Friday's rained out game.

Game 1: Occidental 11, Whittier 6; Recap, Box Score