LA VERNE — Oxy starter Nolan Watson followed up his no-hitter with a solid outing, going 7.1 innings with four strikeouts, before leaving with an injury.

But the Occidental baseball team was on the wrong side of a narrow defeat, falling to La Verne 5-4 in 10 innings in the first of a three-game series this weekend.

Dylan Lowenstein doubled in Brandon Vogel in the bottom of the 10th for the game-winning run.

Season Impact: The Tigers fall to 16-9 overall and 9-4 in SCIAC play. Oxy is now tied for third with Redlands.

La Verne takes control of first place, improving to 8-2. The Leopards are 14-11 overall.

Watson left the game after being struck in the neck by a ball.

Oxy took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fourth when Graham Pimm drove in Jack Brancheau and Eamon McNeil with an RBI-single.

Pimm finished the game 2 for 4, Brancheau was 2 for 5, Reid Gibbs was 2 for 4 with a run scored, Eamon McNeil went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored, and Jamie Cooper was 3 for 5 with a triple for the Tigers. 

Cody Norman earned the victory for the Leopards after pitching the top of the 10th.

Next Game: The Tigers and Leopards finish their three-game series at Oxy on Saturday with a doubleheader at Anderson Field, beginning at 11 a.m.