Baseball Hits a SCIAC Triple

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (May 7, 2007) - Occidental baseball capped another season of improvement May 2 with three student-athletes earning All-SCIAC recognition, the largest total since 1991.

Matt Andersen '08, an All-SCIAC running back last fall, became the first to earn First Team recognition in both football and baseball since Mike Bonetto in 1991-92.

Andersen started 36 of the teams' 40 games and posted a .344 batting average with 11 doubles, two home runs, and 29 runs batted in. He struck out nine times, the fourth-lowest total among SCIAC hitters with at least 100 at-bats.

A centerfielder, Andersen also compiled a .984 fielding percentage with five assists.

Matt Jones '09, the ace of the Tigers' pitching staff, lowered his earned run average from 8.39 to 3.62 in 2007 and received Second Team honors. Jones (3-5) made eleven starts and tossed three complete games, allowing two earned runs in Occidental's 9-4 victory over nationally-ranked Ithaca College March 13.

Glenn Gray '10, an outfielder who garnered Second Team laurels as a freshman, finished sixth in SCIAC with a .409 batting average. He ranked among the league leaders in runs batted in for most of the season.

"Placing three players on the All-SCIAC team is a huge step forward for our program," offered second-year head coach Elliot Strankman. "We are moving closer to a mindset of winning rather than just rebuilding."

Occidental (17-23, 7-14 SCIAC ) improved its batting average from .263 to .293 in 2007. The Tigers will return eight starters and five pitchers who logged 20 or more innings.