Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Oxy baseball wrapped up the weekend by sweeping their three-game series against the Willamette Bearcats on Saturday. 

GAME 1, W 11-7

The Tigers started fast coming out of the gates, scoring 6 runs in the 1st inning highlighted by RBI singles from Ben Fitsgerald and Anthony Sereno as well as a two-run single to left field from Nick Gonzalez. 

After adding a run in the 2nd inning on a sacrifice fly from Alejandro Decreux, Oxy scored 4 more runs in the 5th inning. The runs came on an RBI single from Logan Rooney, an RBI double that stayed just inside the 3rd base line from Fitzgerald and the inning was capped off by an RBI single from Mateo Morales. 

After starting pitcher Riley Holcomb was removed from the game after 6 strong innings, Willamette put together a rally in the 7th inning to get back into the game that was capped off by a three-run home run that made the score 11-7 Oxy. 

The Bearcat Rally may have been more severe had it not been for an amazing diving catch in right center by Griffen Rogers that saved multiple runs from coming across for the moment. 

Willamette was threatening to score again in the top of the 8th with runners on 1st and 3rd and only one out, but Wyatt Zadoorian struck out the next two batters to escape the jam with no damage done. 

AJ Naha was brought on in the 9th to lock down the win and he retired the side in order to secure the 11-7 win for the Tigers. Holcomb got the win on the mound by throwing a gem, allowing only one run on five hits while striking out five. He is now 3-0 on the year. 

GAME 2, W 10-5

Oxy's bats stayed locked in for game 2 of the day, scoring 5 runs in the 1st inning with RBI singles from Tyler Kubo and Alejandro Decruex and a two-run double from Thomas Munch. 

Christian Martinez kept the strong pitching going for the Tigers, holding the Bearcats to 2 runs on 4 hits while striking out 6 batters over 5 innings of work, leaving the game with a 6-2 Oxy lead. 

Oxy tacked on a run in the 5th thanks to an RBI single from Griffen Rogers, and added another in the 6th. After Willamette scored in the 8th to make it 8-3, the Tigers added on as Munch stayed hot at the plate with an RBI single and another run came in on an error that would have ended the inning. 

A two-run home run in the 9th for Willamette would make the score 10-5, but AJ Naha would get the last out of the game on a popout to shortstop, completing the series sweep of the Bearcats. 

With the sweep, Oxy improves to 7-11 on the year and will next take the field on Friday, March 21st in a home SCIAC matchup against the Cal Lutheran Kingsmen.