Tigers Fall in a Wild Finish

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Feb. 21, 2009) – After dropping the opening series of the season, the Tigers looked to rebound against Hope International today on Bell Field.  In the opening game, the visiting Royals threw a shutout to win game one, but then had to survive an offensive barrage from Oxy in game two before winning in extra innings.

In the opener, the Royals pushed a run across in the top of the first and second, but were clinging to that two run lead as Oxy continually put runners on in each inning, but could not drive in their first run of the season.

The game got away from the Tigers late as Hope (3-4) tacked on 3 more runs in the final two innings to take the first game 5-0.  Oxy (0-3) stranded eight runners, five in scoring position, and the leadoff batter got on in five of the seven innings.  But a few bad breaks and a couple of great diving saves by the Royals held the Tigers scoreless. 

In the third Rebecca Nashleanas was stranded at third base, after opening the inning with a single, and then being sacrificed over.  Which could have cut the lead to one, and then again in fourth Alyssa Smith started the inning with a single and moved to second with one out after a sacrifice fly by Nicole Hannasch but the Tigers were unable to punch in either opportunity and swing the momentum in there favor.

Freshman Shanna Yackel was back on the mound for the Tigers and pitched six and two thirds innings, scattering five hits and two runs through the first five innings.  Alexis Alonzo was the winning pitcher for Hope International, who threw a complete game while surrendering only four hits.

After regrouping, the Tigers came out with a renewed focus, and with a heavier bat as they jumped on the Royals from the opening inning.  Scoring two in the first and another two in the second.  In the first inning, Olympia Powellled off with a single, and then was brought home with a booming triple by Stephanie Egan that almost cleared the center field fence.  Powell scored on the very next at bat when Lindsay Gross doubled to left.  But that was just the beginning, as Hannasch got thing started in the second inning with a single and a stolen base coupled with a Powell single to right brought home another Oxy run.  Powell would later score after stealing second on a single by Gabriela Chavez.

Although Hope was in a four nothing hole to start the third inning, they kept their composure and made a lineup adjustment, switching back to their starting pitcher from the opening game and figured out a way to score a run off Yackel.  Oxy could not score in the bottom of the third, going down one two three, and then showed signs of inexperience as Hope pushed across five runs in the top half of the fourth, four of them being unearned.  Committing all six errors of the game in this one half inning.  The Tigers did not go away, cutting the lead to one when Hannasch reached on an error in the fourth and was followed by singles from Powell and Chaves.  The Royals extended the lead to two before a wild finish.

Oxy trailed by two in the bottom of the seventh, but Egan got the rally going with a double and then a homerun by Alyssa Escalante knotted the game up at seven, forcing extra innings.   The very next inning the Tigers had the winning run at second, with two down, and Gross picks up a walk to load the bases.  But that’s as close as they would come to a victory, as Hope survived the inning and scored three in the top of the ninth to pull out a 10-7 victory.      

Kimi Elegua came in for relief of Yackel, pitching five and two thirds, but could not pick up her first win of the season.  Alexis Alonzo picked up the win for Hope, as they evened their record to 4-4, while Oxy fell to 0-4.

Occidental will be back on the field next Saturday, Feb. 28 when they travel to Whittier College for a SCIAC conference pair beginning at noon.