LOS ANGELES — Occidental College secured a narrow 7-6 victory over Lewis & Clark College thanks to a late-inning comeback by the offense in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday at Anderson Field and also won game two by a score of 8-3.
Occidental opened the scoring in the first inning of game one with
Thomas Munch singling to center field and later scoring on a sacrifice fly by
Jackson Short. The inning ended with the score tied at 1-1 after Lewis & Clark also plated a run. Occidental 1, Lewis & Clark 1 after the 1st.
The middle innings saw the Pioneers gain momentum, with a two-run homer in the fifth inning pushing its lead to 4-1. Occidental's defense held firm in the sixth, preventing further scoring after Short took the mound. The River Otters would eventually lead 6-1 in this game, but Occidental responded in the seventh inning when Short delivered a two-run double to left center, driving in
Evann Smith and Munch, cuttin the lead to 6-3.
In the eighth inning, the Tigers surged ahead with three runs to tie the game. Antonio Longobard hit an RBI double down the right field line, and Munch followed with a clutch two-RBI single to right field, making the game all even at 6-6.
Occidental sealed the victory in the ninth inning when
Mateo Morales pinch-hit and delivered a single down the left field line, scoring
Anthony Sereno. This final run secured Occidental's 7-6 victory over the Pioneers.
Aidan Alfers started the game and pitched for 5 innings, allowing 5 hits and 4 earned runs while striking out 4 batters.
Evan Landsman entered in relief, pitching 1 inning without allowing a hit or run, striking out 2 of the 4 batters faced.
Munch led the team with two runs scored and two RBIs, contributing two hits and two walks. Short collected three RBIs on two hits, including a double. Longobardi added a double and an RBI while scoring once. Smith reached base twice with two hits and a walk, scoring one run.
In the second game of the day, the Tigers secured an 8-3 victory against Lewis & Clark College in game two of the doubleheader. A five-run second inning set the pace for Occidental, while Lewis & Clark committed three errors in the contest.
Occidental secured an 8-3 victory over Lewis & Clark in a decisive matchup. After a scoreless first inning, Occidental's offense ignited in the second inning, scoring five runs. Ben Fitzgerald started with a single, followed by hits from Griffen Rogers and Anthony Sereno. A crucial error by the visiting team's center fielder contributed to the scoring, allowing Fitzgerald to score. Thomas Munch's two-run double extended the lead, bringing the score to Occidental 5, Lewis & Clark 0 after the second inning.
Occidental added another run in the fourth inning when Rogers advanced to third on an error and scored on a groundout by Daniel Major. This increased their lead to 6-0. In the sixth inning, the Pioneers responded with a two-run homer by Ryan Sanderson, bringing the score to Occidental 6, Lewis & Clark 2.
In the seventh inning, Occidental extended its lead. Alejandro Ducreux walked, advanced on a single by Munch, and scored on a groundout by Evann Smith. This brought the tally to Occidental 7, Lewis & Clark 3 after the seventh inning. Fitzgerald capped off Occidental's scoring with a solo home run in the eighth inning, making it 8-3. The visitors threatened in the ninth with the bases loaded, but Occidental's pitching held firm, striking out the final three batters to secure the win. The final score was Occidental 8, Lewis & Clark 3.
Lincoln Lyons was stellar on the mound pitching 6 2/3 innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 5 hits while striking out 7 batters and earning the win. Braden Hill came in for 1/3 of an inning, giving up 1 hit and 1 walk, with a wild pitch in his 13-pitch appearance. Antonio Vazquez faced 4 batters in 1/3 of an inning, allowing 2 hits and 1 walk without giving up a run.
Munch made a significant impact with two hits, including a double, and collected two RBIs. Fitzgerald contributed with two runs and a home run, driving in one RBI. Rogers showed a well-rounded performance by scoring two runs and delivering three strikeouts in one inning pitched. Ducreux reached base with a walk and scored two runs, showcasing an ability to capitalize on errors.
Occidental now has a record of 4-1 on the season. The River Otters and the Tigers will wrap up their three-game set on Sunday, with a start time of 11:00AM at Anderson Field.
