Menlo Gets Best of Tigers

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (March 12, 2009) – The Menlo College offensive production coupled with six Occidental errors was too much for the Tigers to overcome today as Oxy dropped a 14-3 decision to the Menlo College Oaks today on Anderson Field in non-conference action.

Early on the Tigers hung tough, erasing an early 1-0 deficit to knot the game in the bottom of the first. A two-out rally began when Steve Schaffer reached on an error, scoring when Glenn Gray was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. In the second inning Spencer Woolwine, who finished the day 3-for-3, found a hole on the right side to reach. He scored two batters later when Anthony Salsedo also singled, to center field, putting the Tigers up 2-1.

Menlo again tied things up in the fourth when Chris Mazza, who led off the game with a homerun, connected for the first of three doubles on the day to drive in the second Oaks’ run of the game. 

The momentum shifted in favor of Menlo during the middle innings. In the bottom of the fourth two Tiger runners were picked off at first base as the first and third outs before the Oaks plated another pair of runs in the top of the fifth.

Oxy again chipped away, pulling the game to within a run at 4-3 when Schaffer singled, for the second time, and stole second base, for the second time, before Kieran Doherty doubled down the left field line. Unfortunately that was all the offense the Tigers would collect on the day. Daniel Kelley and Gonzalo Villasmil each singled in pinch hit at bats in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively.

The Oaks were not done, however, tacking on six runs in the sixth before adding to their lead with two more in the seventh and one in the eighth. Shane Parsons was 4-for-4, scoring two runs for Menlo.

Woolwine, who reached base all four times he stepped up to the plate, added to his offensive day by throwing out a would-be-base stealer in the sixth.

Sophomore southpaw Ross Pomerantz (0-3) went 5.0 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out five.

The Tigers fall to 9-11 on the season with two more non-conference games as a tune up before resuming play in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference on Friday, March 27 when they host Cal Lutheran University. Occidental will be back on the diamond next Wednesday, March 18 when they host Principia College (IL) at 3:00 p.m.