Jones Goes the Distance, Tigers and Eagles Split

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (March 9, 2009) – The Occidental College Tigers salvaged a split today as they rebounded from a 6-5 loss in game one to defeat Bridgewater College 4-3 behind a complete game from senior Matthew Jones. The Tigers returned to Anderson Field to kick off a seven game home stand.

Occidental (9-9) came out on top in game two as Jones, a senior righty, threw 118 pitches, striking out five while scattering 11 hits. The Eagles scored three runs (two earned) but the Tigers came back from a 3-1 deficit to win 4-3. Jones retired the side in order in the first and third innings while striking out the leadoff man in each of the first three innings. He forced 13 ground balls and got five fly ball outs, walking none.

Trailing by a run in the third, Alex Bukac walked an stole second before scoring on a single to left by Anthony Salsedo to put the Tigers on the board and tie the game. After BC pushed runs across in the sixth and seventh, Oxy again plated two to knot things up. Nick Saraceni was hit by a pitch before Jason Jebbia and Bukac connected for back-to-back singles to load the bases. Salsedo proceeded to draw a walk, scoring Saraceni, before Dale Garrett lifted a sac fly to center field, scoring Jebbia.

While the Tigers held the Eagles scoreless over the last three innings, they scored in the eighth to give Jones his second win of the season. Daniel Kelley singles and scored when Saraceni’s bunt was thrown errantly, by the third baseman, into right field allowing the winning run to cross the plate.

In game one, Bukac led the offensive attack with a pair of two-run homeruns following Jebbia singles. Salsedo was responsible for the final run of the game when he singled, stole second and scored on one of the three Bridgewater errors of the game.

Senior Noel Banuelos got the start and tossed 7.0 strong innings, allowing three runs on 10 hits, striking out six (one looking). He retired the side in the first and seventh, which finished with the second inning-ending double play of the game.

Overall today Salsedo and Jebbia each collected four hits, while Bukac connected for three, driving in four as Salsedo had two RBIs. Jebbia and Bukac each scored three times. Kelley was the only other Tiger with an extra base hit, doubling down the leftfield line in the first game.

Bridgewater (6-7) was led by Kevin Kirk who was 4-for-7 and Michael Lenox who went 4-for-9 with three doubles. The Eagles’ Kevin Chandler earned the win in game one while Jeremy Leake came on in the ninth with a 2-0 count to retire the final batter.  

Occidental will be back on the diamond tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. when they host the Ithaca College Bombers for a single game on Anderson Field.