Spring Starts in Grand Fashion for Veihl, Tigers

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Jan. 30, 2009) – The teams were tied after an inning, but Occidental used an 11-run third inning, powered by a Richie Veihl grand slam, to earn an opening day victory as the Tigers defeated La Sierra University 12-8 on Anderson Field.

Taking the hill for his final collegiate opening day, Matthew Jones threw 5.0 strong innings, surrendering a pair of runs as he recorded his first win of the season. A number of versatile players also took the ball with Alex Bukac, Kieran Doherty and Spencer Woolwine each tossing an inning after playing in the field. Tyler Eyrich made his debut on the hill, tossing the seventh inning.

Occidental sent 13 men to the plate in the third inning, with eight different players reaching base and scoring at least one run. Jason Jebbia, who was 2-4 in the game, doubled, driving in a pair, while freshman outfielder Anthony Salsedo was 2-2 with a bunt single and two runs in the inning, finishing 2-5 with a pair of RBIs. Steve Schaffer also scored twice in the third as he was 1-2 with a walk in his first game as a Tiger.

In his first appearance in black and orange freshman Kevin Ozaki scored three runs and was 1-1 with a first-inning double. Left fielder Nick Saraceni was also 1-2 in his first baseball game for Oxy.

Woolwine was behind the plate for eight innings and Bukac played first base, each driving in and scoring a run. Doherty and Bukac each had a hit. Veihl walked twice and was hit by a pitch as well as hitting an opposite field homerun down the right field line.

Oxy was active on the bases as Jebbia, Ozaki, Salsedo and Saraceni each stole a base, with Ozaki swiping two.

Also taking the field for the first time in orange and black were Barry Ennis, who played three innings in left field and Gonzalo Villasmil who manned the hot corner for two innings.

In the field Veihl had five assists and four putouts, Jebbia had three putouts and three assists at shortstop, including a diving stop in the seventh. Bukac had seven putouts at first.

Jason Hawkins records his first collegiate head coaching victory with the win as Occidental begins the season 1-0. The Tigers will travel to Riverside on Sunday to play another pair with the Golden Eagles. First pitch is slated for 9:30 a.m.