LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Occidental College (4-18, 1-6) secured a 5-3 victory over Whittier College (13-13, 1-6) at Bell Field on Friday. The Tigers' offense was powered by 13 hits, leading to a decisive three-run second inning.
Occidental took an early lead in the first inning when
Alysha Wagner singled, followed by hits from
Jordan Lebsock and
Riko Hibino, allowing Wagner to score. The inning ended with the Tigers up 1-0.
In the second inning, Whittier's Lana Escarcega scored on a triple by Tiaira Richardson. Occidental responded with a strong offensive showing as
Molly Houtkooper, Wagner, and
Anna Kim all singled, with Houtkooper scoring. Lebsock added an RBI single, and
Sophia Siu's sacrifice fly brought in another run. Hibino's single drove in Kim, pushing the Tigers ahead 4-1 after two innings.
Both teams scored in the fourth inning. Whittier's Kelly Nutter scored on Escarcega's RBI single. For Occidental, Kim singled, stole second, and later scored on Siu's single, extending the lead to 5-2.
The game tightened in the seventh inning when Whittier's Olivia Butler doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Daniella Contreras. However, Occidental maintained control, concluding the game with a 5-3 victory.
Final score: Occidental 5, Whittier 3.
Alysha Wagner recorded three hits and scored two runs, contributing significantly to the team's offensive output.
Anna Kim added to the scoring with two runs and also secured two hits, displaying effective baserunning with a stolen base.
Jordan Lebsock contributed with three hits and drove in one run, enhancing the team's scoring opportunities.
Riko Hibino brought in two runs with her two hits, showcasing her ability to capitalize with runners on base.
The Tigers have a record of 4-18 and are 1-6 in the conference. The Poets hold a record of 13-13 and are 1-6 in the conference.
