Tigers hit 2010 off with annual Alumni game

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Feb. 2, 2010) – The Occidental College 2010 Varsity baseball team got a great warm-up for their opening game next weekend by dominating the Alumni Team last Saturday afternoon at Anderson Field.  The Varsity won 24-3 in the “official” 8 ½ innings.  A bottom of the ninth was played in which the Varsity added one more run to make 25 on the day.

The Varsity scored the 25 runs off 17 hits off nine different Alumni pitchers.  The Alumni got only 3 hits, off 7 Varsity hurlers.

The Alumni scored their three runs all at once, on a three-run homer in the top of the fifth by Noel Banuelos, a 2009 graduate now serving as an assistant coach to Varsity Head Coach Jason Hawkins.  Kieran Doherty and Richie Viehl, also graduates from last year, got the other two Alumni hits, both singles.

For the Varsity, hitters Logan Allen, Pedro Aldape, Brent Wunner, and Josh Throckmorton led the way.

Allen, a freshman from Atascadero, had four hits, including a long 2-run homer over the left field fence in the bottom of the seventh. He scored four runs and drove in four.  The versatile Allen played centerfield, third base, and shortstop on defense.

Aldape, a freshman from Sherman Oaks, had 5 RBI with his single and two doubles.  Aldape pitched one inning and played first base the rest of the time.

Wunner, junior catcher from Temple City, had a single, double, and was hit by a pitch.  He scored twice and drove in two.

Throckmorton, sophomore second baseman from Bedford, Massachusetts, had a single and double and drove in a run with each.

Cory Popham and Brooks Belter each pitched two innings against the Alumni to open the game, with Belter striking out five of the six batters he faced.  The remaining Varsity chuckers – Jacob Blodgett, Stephen Hilliard, Tyler Eyrich, Aldape, and Jason Jebbia – worked one inning each.

For the Alumni, Oxy Baseball Hall of Fame right hander Brian Hill, from the Class of 1980, pitched a scoreless first inning against the Varsity.

The Alumni followed with, in order, moundsmen Tom Geiger ’85, Noel Banuelos ’09, Matthew Jones ’09, Spencer Woolwine ’09, Kieran Doherty ’09, Joe Love ’02, and Mark Mueller ’08, each of whom threw an inning.  All but Jones were scored upon.

Then, in the bottom of the ninth, Hall of Fame lefthander Greg Millikan, Class of 1970, took the hill. (Yes, 1970.  Do the math.) 

Millikan allowed one Varsity hit and an unearned run, due to an error by second baseman Vince Gallo ’79.  Millikan struck out one batter.

Second sacker Gallo then more than redeemed himself by making the defensive play of the day.  He dove to his right to snare a grounder headed up the middle, then threw the runner out at first from his knees for the final out of the game.

At the Hall of Fame banquet Saturday night, Coach Hawkins said Gallo’s sterling defensive play was the best play by any Alumni player in any of the six Alumni games he has been involved in.

Following a day of fun and sun on the diamond the Tigers’ new and old[er] gathered at the Gresham Dining Hall where more than 125 people gathered for the annual Hall of Fame Dinner in which three athletes and one team were inducted into the Hall. Among those recognized were Jerry Regnier, Pat Delaney, Kalil Badran and the 1962 Team.

Jerry Regnier '60 - The greatest fielding first baseman coach Dunlap has ever seen.  He made fielding his position look so easy that others did not realize they were seeing something extraordinary.  His efforts won games.  With hard work he became a .300 plus hitter.  Two time ALL-SCIAC selection.

Pat Delaney '55 - An outstanding defensive outfielder, baserunner, hitter and teammate who energized the entire ballclub from the first pitch to the last out. He has a career batting average of .367, ranks 6th all-time in rbi production, was a member of four consecutive championship teams and first string ALL-SCIAC in 1954.

Kalil Badran '58 - One of Grant Dunlap's finest centerfielders and a member of three championship teams. A career .328 hitter, who overcame two serious injuries to hit .396 in his senior year and be selected ALL-SCIAC first string in 1958

1962  Team - One of Grant Dunlap's nine championship teams, they were 14-1 in league play and 18-6 overall. led by All-American pitcher Don Hagen and captain and league leading hitter, first baseman Tom Bonetto, they placed seven players on the All-SCIAC teams, have four members in the oxy hall of fame, and had a team batting average of .279. 

Article: Dick Dorfman ‘68