Tigers Win First Game of Season in Extras

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (March 13, 2008) – Stephanie Egan singled and scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning against Wesleyan University to clinch the first victory of the season for the Tiger softball squad, also marking Jodie Cox’s first win as a head coach.

The Tigers got on the board first with a pair of runs in the first inning, the first time they have led all season. Wesleyan cut that lead in half. Oxy battled right back in the bottom of the inning when freshman shortstop Gabriela Chavez connected for a double. She then swiped third base and scored on a sac fly off the bat of  Teresa Barbarant, giving Oxy a 3-1 lead.

Wesleyan’s second baseman led off the fifth with a single and scored two batters later after advancing to second and stealing third. The then added another run in the sixth on five consecutive hits to tie the game at 3-3.

Kelli Moriguchi came back tot eh circle in the eighth and retired the first three batters she faced. In the top of the ninth the Cardinals threatened with a pair of singles, but the Tigers played tough defense to keep them off the board.

Oxy’s second baseman Lindsay Gross layed down a sac bunt to move over Egan, who then scored when the ball trickled just out of reach of the Wesleyan third baseman, sending the bench into cheers to cap a 4-3 comeback victory for the Tigers.

In game one the Cardinals jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, adding five more in the final three innings, while the Tigers managed to push just one run across the board.

Occidental’s offense was led by a 3-6 day from catcher Alyssa Escalante who doubled and drove in two. Egan, Chavez and Olympia Powell each collected two hits and scored a run. Chavez had a triple in the first game for one of her two hits.

Alyssa Smith and Gross were a solid right side of the infield for Oxy with 18 putouts and seven assists, combined. Egan added five putouts and five assists at the hot corner.

Occidental will travel to Claremont, Calif. on Saturday to play SCIAC rival Claremont-Mudd-Scripps for two beginning at noon.