By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning sent Occidental College (Calif.) past Willamette University, 8-7, in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 13 at Anderson Field. The Tigers evened their record at 1-1, while Willamette fell to 3-3 on the season.
Occidental was leading the second game in the bottom of the seventh inning, 5-4, when play was suspended due to darkness. The game will be completed on Sunday, Feb. 14 prior to the final game in the three-game series. Action is set to begin at 11 a.m. (PST).
In Saturday's first game, Willamette took a 7-6 lead in the top of the ninth on a two-run single to right field by Ty Wyatt (So., INF, Keizer, OR/McNary HS). The Tigers scored the tying run with one out in the bottom of the inning when a fielder's choice with runners at first and second resulted in a throwing error. Occidental's winning run was scored by pinch-runner Liam Fischer on a wild pitch with two outs.
For Willamette, Mason Fessler (So., INF, Woodburn, OR/Blanchet Catholic School) belted two home runs, while Gordie Clary (Sr., RF/LHP, Vacaville, CA/Vacaville HS) hit one home run.
The Bearcats scored first for the fifth time in six games with a run in the top of the second. Clary pounded the ball over the right field fence with one out in the inning. Willamette almost scored a second run a bit later, but Eric Del Prado (So., 1B, El Segundo, CA/Loyola HS) was thrown out at home while trying to score from second on a single to left field.
Willamette increased its advantage to 3-0 in the third inning. Connor Bailey (Fr., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) opened the stanza with a single. Fessler followed with his first home run of the season to right center.
Occidental tallied two runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth to take a 4-3 lead.
In the fourth, three hits and an error contributed to the Tigers' success. Jamie Cooper singled and Jack Brancheau grounded out to start the inning. Reid Gibbs reached base on a fielding error at shortsotp. Cooper went to third and later scored on a squeeze bunt by Derek Sun. Later, Gibbs scored one a single down the left field line by Jared Baur. Both runs were unearned.
Two more errors led to Occidental's two runs in the fifth. Brancheau drove in the first run with an RBI single. Gibbs pushed across the second run with a sacrifice fly.
An error in the top of the seventh inning proved costly for the Tigers. The error occurred on a throw from shorstop with one out, allowing Troy Conway (So., 2B, Moorpark, CA/Moorpark HS) to reach first and second. Following a strikeout, Conway advanced to third on a wild pitch. Fessler smacked a two-run homer to left field, as Willamette moved in front, 5-4.
The lead changed hands again in the bottom of the seventh. Devon DeRaad walked and Cooper singled through the left side, before Brancheau provided a sacrifice bunt. Gibbs then hit a double to left center, sending both DeRaad and Cooper across the plate.
WU still trailed 6-5 entering the ninth inning. Tyler Janitz (Fr., SS, Modesto, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS) walked, and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Conway.
Bailey also walked. Each runner advanced a base on a wild pitch, and then Fessler walked to load the bases. Janitz and Bailey scored on Wyatt's single to right. A strikeout ended the inning with pinch-runner Kyle Paguio (Fr., INF, Stevenson Ranch, CA/West Ranch HS) at third base.
Clary pitched the bottom of the ninth for Willamette. He struck out DeRaad to start the inning. Cooper walked and Bryan Smith pinch-ran. Brancheau walked, sending Smith to second. Gibbs hit into a fielder's choice, but a wild throw allowed Smith to reach third and score.
Pinch-hitter Wilson Terrall was struck out by Clary for the second out. Fischer, pinch-running for Brancheau at third base, scored on a wild pitch to Baur.
Fessler finished 2 for 4 with two homers, two runs and four RBIs for Willamette. Conway was 2 for 3 with a run scored. Bailey went 1 for 2 and scored twice.
Cooper went 2 for 4 with two runs for the Tigers. Baur was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Gibbs drove in a team-high three runs.
Clary took the loss for the Bearcats and fell to 0-1. Reliever Scott Erickson (1-0) of Occidental pitched the final four innings and was credited with the win. He struck out five batters. The Tigers' starting pitcher, Nolan Watson, recorded seven strikeouts in five innings.
