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THOUSAND OAKS — Reid Gibbs went 4 for 5 with three doubles, two RBIs and a pair of runs scored, and Josh Cohen dealt a complete-game victory as the Occidental baseball team knocked off defending NCAA Division III national champion Cal Lutheran 7-3 on the road on Friday.

It's the first of a three game series between the teams this weekend. The Tigers and Kingsmen will return to Oxy's Anderson Field on Saturday for a doubleheader, beginning at 11 a.m.

Oxy improves to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in SCIAC with the win. Oxy is currently tied for second place behind 3-0 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

Cal Lutheran falls to 6-6 and 1-3 in SCIAC.

Gibbs, Oxy's junior shortstop from Orinda, had his hands all over the result. With the Tigers down 2-0 in the top of the third, he doubled in Michael Netzel and Derek Sun, he led off a two-run sixth with a double, and singled and stole second when Oxy put two more runs on the board in the eighth.

Cohen, Oxy's senior ace from Berkeley, struck out eight batters with just two walks and one earned run in a 122-pitch effort. 

Cal Lu's Nate Wehner was charged with the loss. 

Sun finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored for Oxy, including a delayed steal home in the ninth, Bryan Smith was 1 for 4 with a pair of RBIs, Eamon McNeil went 1 for 3 with a run scored, Jack Brancheau was 1 for 5 with a run scored and Jake Fredrickson was 1 for 4 with an RBI.

Cohen held Cal Lu to just six hits and didn't let any player get more than one hit off of him.