Leopards Too Much for Tigers

LA VERNE, Calif. (April 18, 2009) – At home on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon the Tigers were unable to avoid another Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference sweep as they fell 8-0 and 6-3 to the University of La Verne on Anderson Field.

Sophomore second baseman Daniel Kelley collected a team high four hits on the day while shortstop Jason Jebbia came up with three hits in the double-header, also drawing a pair of walks. Jebbia swiped two bags in three attempts and Kelley was successful in his only stolen base attempt.

In game one Occidental was unable to score as ULV starting pitcher Tim Jolly tossed 7.0 inning striking out seven. Jebbia was responsible for two of the three hits Jolly allowed, with Dale Garrett also singling and stealing a pair of bases, adding two walks in the game.

Oxy starter Brooks Belter was tagged for five runs on eight hits while striking out a pair. Homeruns hurt the Tigers as the Leopards connected for four long balls in the game.

Game two began with a promising look as Oxy jumped out to a 2-1 lead after two innings as Jebbia drove in Kevin Ozaki, who reached with his first of two hits in the game. In the second inning Richie Veihl bunted his way on base and came around to score on Kelley’s second hit of the game as he finished with three.

That slim 2-1 lead turned into a 2-2 tie in the sixth when the Leos strung together  three consecutive hits off Oxy starter Noel Banuelos (1-6) to begin the inning. Jon-Michael Hattabaugh, whose RBI double knotted the game, led off the eighth with a solo homerun to break the tied game and knock Banuelos out of the game after 7.0 innings, in which he allowed just four runs (three earned) on six hits with three strikeouts. Ross Pomerantz came on in relief, pitching the final 2.0 innings, allowing two runs on six hits.

Tyler Eyrich got the Tigers their third run of the game in the ninth when he connected for his first collegiate homerun, to right field.

La Verne (20-12) pushed their SCIAC win streak to nine games while the Tigers fell to 11-23, 1-14 in SCIAC play.

Next Friday, April 24, Occidental will host Whittier College (11-23, 5-10 SCIAC) for a single game beginning at 3:00 p.m.