samsphotoservices.com

LOS ANGELES — Down one, with a runner on base and the light at Anderson Field all but gone, Antonio Andrade came through in the clutch.

The junior left fielder hit a two-run home run to left center, sending the Tigers storming onto the field and Oxy away with a 7-6 victory in its season opener over Willamette on Friday.

Andrade finished the day 1 for 3 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a pair of walks.

It was so dark that right before the ninth inning started their was some conversation between the umpires of whether or not the inning should even start, knowing they might have to call it due to darkness.

Fortunately it went quickly. Devon Suske, a first year reliever for the Tigers, earned the win after striking out three in the top of the ninth, allowing just one walk in a very quick top half.

In the bottom half of the ninth, Jake Fredrickson drove in Oxy's first run on a fielder's choice with runners at second and third, and then Andrade became the hero of the day with the bomb with two outs.

Preston Chong went 2 for 5 with a run scored, Angelo Zorn was 2 for 4 and Caleb Reyes went 2 for 4 with a pair of runs, rounding out Oxy's multi-hit games.

Oxy All-American pitcher Nolan McCarthy started the game and went four innings without an earned run, but didn't have his pinpoint location or his best stuff. The defense behind him was bad for most of the game, committing eight errors, some of them on the same play.

Despite their best pitcher not being sharp and their fielding worse, Oxy found a way to win to start out the season.

Season Impact: The Tigers move to 1-0 on the season.

Willamette falls to 0-1.

Next Game: The Tigers and Bearcats are back in action with a doubleheader at Anderson Field on Saturday. First pitch of Game 1 is scheduled for 11 a.m.