LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Baseball hosted Linfield University on Friday afternoon in the first game of a three-game set this weekend.
The Wildcats got things started quickly with a lead off home run in the 1st inning, adding two more runs on before the inning closed.
Oxy manufactured a run in the bottom of the 1st as Thomas Munch led off with a single to right and made it to second on a sac bunt from Griffen Rogers. A wild pitch allowed Munch to reach 3rd base and Ben Rutkin brought him home with an RBI ground out to cut into the lead.
Linfield added to the lead with a 2-run home run just down the left field line that stayed fair, making the score 5-1.
The Tigers responded again and rallied in the bottom of the 2nd inning, sparked by a double from Jeffery Cambra down the left field line. Ben Fitzgerald followed with a single and Anthony Sereno brought home Cambra with an RBI single to right.
Munch made it up to bat with two on and two out and promptly blasted a ball to right center field to bring home both runs, bringing Oxy to within one run of the lead.
After Wyatt Zadoorian replaced starter Antonio Vasquez on the mound and threw a scoreless top of the 3rd, Logan Rooney tied the game in the bottom half with a long solo shot to left center field evening the score at 5.
The Wildcats responded with another home run that just stayed fair down the left field line in the 4th inning to recapture the lead. Zadoorian tossed 4 great innings in relief before running into some trouble in the 7th, allowing three runs in the frame.
Oxy got a run back in the last half inning of the game on a home run from Nick Gonzalez down the left field line, scoring his second run of the game, but the Linfield closer secured the 9-7 win for the Wildcats
Wilson Schwegler and AJ Naha each threw a scoreless frame in the 8th and 9th innings, respectively, to keep Oxy within striking distance.
Munch, Cambra, and Fitzgerald each had multi-hit efforts in the game, with Munch also adding on two RBIs and a run scored.
The Tigers are back in action at Anderson Field against Linfield on Saturday morning at 10am, playing a doubleheader on the day with game two following at 1pm.
