Photo by samsphotoservices

By Jack Brancheau

LOS ANGELES — The Tigers picked up two wins in a Sunday doubleheader against the St. Katherine Firebirds.

Game 1: Occidental 13, St. Katherines 5

Madison Romero crushed two doubles and drove in 6 runs in the Tigers game 1 win over the Firebirds.

The Tigers came up big all game with two outs and runners in scoring positions — an impressive 11 of their 13 runs were scored with two outs.

Oxy broke the game open in the second, loading and clearing the bases, all with two outs. After a Melanie Ginther single, Natalie Glover hit by pitch, and Nyla Gatison walk, Romero lined a double down the left field line to put the Tigers up three.

Again in the third, two out hitting proved to be key. The Tigers added 6 more runs off of 7 hits. Ariana Granda, Glover, Gatison, and Mackensie Priley all delivered RBI singles, and Romero slugged another double that drove in two.

Alexis Funaki was brilliant on the mound for the Tigers, striking out 4 and allowing only two earned runs in 5 innings of work.

Gatison went 2-2 with an RBI and three runs scored and Granda finished 2-3 with 2 RBI and two runs scored.

Game 2: Occidental 6, St. Katherines 3

Despite a ninth inning surge by the Firebirds, the Tigers managed to hang on with a 6-5 victory in their final game of the weekend. 

The Tigers big inning came in the first, erasing a three-run deficit with four runs of their own. With the bases loaded, Bailey Stevens delivered a sharp single into left field to plate Priley and Romero. Two batters later, Kira Elliott knocked a single of her own, scoring Cassie Carter and Stevens. 

Oxy added two more in the third thanks to RBI groundouts from Elliott and Glover. 

Samantha Yee, who went 2-2 with a walk, and Stevens, who finished 2-3 with 2 RBI and a run scored, both had nice games at the plate.

Madison Romero had an impressive all around game, going 2-4 at the dish and allowing only three earned runs in seven innings of work in the circle.

Season Impact: The Tigers improve to 4-3-1 and the Firebirds drop to 3-8 on the year.

Looking Ahead: Oxy opens up its conference play this Saturday (2/17) at Bell Field against the University of Redlands.