Los Angeles, Calif. - Tassos Foster and Luke Piazza provided the offensive spark for Willamette, but it wasn't enough as the Bearcats fell 9-7 to Occidental in the opening game of four they will play in Southern California this weekend.  Foster and Piazza each had three hits on the afternoon, with Foster scoring three times and Piazza driving in three runs.

Willamette opened the scoring in the top of the first as the Bearcats started the game with three consecutive singles by Foster, Rocco Granucci, and Piazza.  Piazza's hit drove in two runs after Foster and Granucci had advanced a base on a passed ball.  Starting pitcher Steven Verespey retired the Tigers in order in the bottom of the inning and Willamette led 2-0 after the opening inning.

Occidental did most of their damage for the game in the second and third innings, scoring five runs in the second and three more in the third.  Taylor Cann homered in both innings for the Tigers and Occidental was able to score five of their runs with two outs.

Trailing 8-3, the Bearcats started their comeback in the top of the fifth when Foster led off the inning with a double and scored on a double by Piazza.  Willamette threatened again in the sixth when they loaded the bases with no outs on a single by Adam Birt, a walk to Joshua Murphy, and another single by Liam O'Connor.  The Bearcats were able to get two runs, with Birt scoring on a double play and O'Connor coming in on a single by Foster.

With their lead cut to 8-6, Occidental got one run back on an RBI double, their first run since the third inning.  Neither team threatened in the seventh when Murphy homered to lead off the eighth to cut the lead to 9-7.  Willamette quickly put two more runners on base without any outs, but O'Connor was picked off second base for the first out.  After Foster was hit by a pitch, Hamburger was picked off for the second out of the inning and a strikeout ended the threat for the Bearcats.

Murphy and Foster hit home runs in the game, while Foster and Piazza both doubled.  Piazza's three runs batted in led the Bearcats, followed by Foster with two.  Foster scored three runs to lead the team.  

The Bearcats play a doubleheader at Occidental on Saturday, March 15th, with the first game scheduled to start at 11:00 am.  They will finish their trip to California on Sunday when they play the University of Redlands in a single game starting at 11:00 am.