Whittier 6, Occidental 2; Occidental 5, Whittier 4

Occidental recorded its second win of the season 5-4 over Whittier College Sunday March 18 at Bell Field.  The Tigers improved to 2-22, 2-10 SCIAC while Whittier, which entered the game in second place in the league standings, fell to 15-7, 7-3.

Occidental scored five runs over the first three innings and held off a late Whittier rally to pull out the win.  The Tigers put their leadoff hitter on base in innings 1, 3, & 5 and took advantage of a Whittier error for two runs in the first.

Alyssa Smith '10 belted a two-run double in the third and went 1 of 3 with one run batted in and two runs scored.  Melyssa Tsai '07 reached base in her first two trips to the plate and finished two for four with two runs scored.

Carey Crowell '07 tossed seven strong innings, scattering eight hits and allowing two earned runs.  The Poets rallied for two runs in the seventh before clean-up hitter Brenna Winslow's  RBI ground out.  Shortstop Beth Walczak hit a tapper back to Crowell to end the game.

Vicki Ovieda smacked a bases-loaded double to give Whittier an early 4-0 lead in game one.  Freshman Mary Pacheco, named SCIAC Athlete of the Week March 7, logged a RBI single in the second.  Britt Karp '09 made a sparkling catch in foul territory to retire Pacheco in the fourth.

The Tigers continue SCIAC play this weekend with another home doubleheader against Cal Lutheran (8-3, 5-3 SCIAC).  Game time is 12 noon at Bell Field.