Comeback Kids, Do it Again: Tigers Beat Oaks Twice

LOS ANGELES, CALIF.  (Mar. 15, 2009) – Following a tough conference series on Saturday, the Occidental College Tigers were able to regroup and refocus as they took back to the diamond on Sunday for a pair of non-conference games. In the first of the day the Tigers battled back to defeat Menlo College 4-3 before the winning game two 7-4, again coming from behind.

Twice today the Tigers saw themselves at a disadvantage, but their newfound ability to remain focused and chip away have worked wonders as they pushed their win total to 11 games, tying the mark that the team recorded in 2004 through 32 total games. Oxy has already made a huge stride in returning a once prominent softball program, that has struggled during the last half a decade, into a winning tradition.

In the first game of the day centerfielder Olympia Powell doubled, for the first of three hits in game one, in the third, later scoring to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

Thanks to a tough Oxy defense, which saw junior catcher Alyssa Escalante and sophomore shortstop Gabriela Chavez join forces to throw out a  pair of would-be base stealers for the first out in both the first and third innings. Another standout defensive gem came from the arm of right fielder Rebecca Nashleanas and the stretch of first baseman Alyssa Smith as Nashleanas caught a fly ball to right and quickly launched the ball to first where they duo combined for the only double-play of the game.

Menlo (6-14) found a rhythm in the top of the fifth as they scored three runs to take a lead, but that was all the offense Oxy would allow the Oaks to come up with, although they did threaten in the sixth and seventh before stranding runners at third in each inning.

Trailing 3-1 the Tigers cut the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Escalante lifted a sac fly to right field following a Nashleanas doubled down the left field line, a bunt single by Powell and Chavez reaching on an error.

Smith then led off the sixth with a double to centerfield before second baseman Vanessa Hernandez layed down a beautiful bunt, which she beat out for a single. She quickly stole second, putting a pair in scoring position for Nashleanas. With two outs, the right fielder beat out an infield single, driving in Smith to tie the score at 3-3. Powell quickly came through in the clutch. After fouling a pitch just out of play down the right field line, she again connected for a game-winning RBI single.

With two outs in the top of the seventh it looked as though Menlo might knot things up, as they had runners at the corners, but Powell made a shoestring catch on a line drive to centerfield, which ended the game and earned the Tigers their 10^th victory of the season, which Shanna Yackel (6-5) earned after striking out two, forcing 11 ground ball outs and allowing three runs (two earned).

Game two saw another Tigers lead evaporate, but quickly be regained.

This time Menlo jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the second inning, but the Tigers tore back with three runs in the third as they batted around. Chavez was hit to reach as the leadoff batter. Escalante then collected the first of two hits in the game and Stephanie Egan, who was 2-for-2, singled to right field, plating Chavez. Smith then connected for the third consecutive hit, driving a double down the right field line, scoring Escalante, giving Oxy the lead. Two batters later, Hernandez, who got her first collegiate start at second base, hit a two-RBI single to give the Tigers a 4-1 lead.

Unfortunately for Occidental, Menlo was not done for the day as nine batters stepped into the box during the top part of the sixth as they used five hits and an Oxy error to even the score at 4-4.

As they have done all season the Oxy bats came through again under pressure. Escalante started things off with a single down the left field line before Egan drew her second walk of the game. Smith and designated player Lindsay Gross came up with back-t0-back singles to center and left fields, respectively, Gross’ scoring the ultimate winning run as Escalante touched home safely. Freshman Nicole Hannasch made her third hit of the game, the biggest, as she drove in two insurance runs with a double to centerfield to cap the Tigers’ offense.

Kimi Elguea retired the side in order in the seventh to clinch the victory, her fifth of the season. She scattered 10 hits and struck out one in the complete game effort. Elguea forced 12 ground ball outs today.

Overall today the Tigers had six different players with multi-hit games.

Occidental will be out of competitive softball for the next 10 days before they return to Bell Field where they will host the Lewis & Clark Pioneers. The single game, scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25 will serve as the final non-conference game of 2009.