Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Occidental College baseball team used 9th inning rallies over the past two days to sweep the Whittier College baseball squad winning 7-6, 3-2, and 6-5.
The Poets fell unlucky for the third time this season being swept by a conference opponent as they drop to 3-20, 1-11 SCIAC.
Game 1 (Occidental – 7, Whittier – 6)
Whittier saw themselves holding a 5-2 lead in game one of the series after four innings, but saw Oxy chip away to level the game at six before grabbing the victory in the ninth.
With runners on first and second, Tigers' third baseman A.J. Libunao laid a bunt down the third base line. Whittier reliever Ben Cerami (Berkeley, Calif.) scooped up the ball and tossed it over the Poet third baseman's head allowing Victor Munoz to round third and score easily, giving the Tigers the 7-6 win.
The Poets showed off some power in the top of the second when Max Bradshaw (Salt Lake city, UT) homered to left that tied the game at 2-2. The Poets then took the lead in a big third inning, scoring three runs off a Cerami double to center that pulled WC ahead of the Tigers 5-2.
Oxy responded though in the fifth with a Devon DeRaad homerun and a Jake Chambers single that pulled them within one before eventually plating runs in the eighth and ninth for the come from behind victory.
Cerami finished the day 2-4 with a run scored and three runs batted in but was tagged with his first loss on the season after giving up two runs on two hits in just an inning of work. Bradshaw joined Cerami on offense going 2-3 with two runs scored and two RBI's.
Game 2 (Occidental – 3, Whittier – 2)
In a fast paced game one of the doubleheader, hits were hard to come by as both starters pitched lights out for a combined 15 innings giving up three total runs. Nick Garcia (Anaheim, Calif.) received the no decision after going 7.0 innings strong in his best start of the season giving up one run on six hits, while mowing down six batters.
Leading 2-1 in the top of the ninth, Whittier saw Oxy rally for two runs coming off the bat of Charlie Caccamo who doubled in Jonathan Wong and a single by Jonathan Brooks that plated Caccamo.
Oxy closer Scott Ericksen then came in to go 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the inning to pick up his fifth save on the season helping to put a close on yet another ninth inning victory.
Whittier was held hitless through four by Oxy ace Nolan Watson until Graham Pimm (Clayton, Calif.) got through with a hit up the middle before the Poets scrapped together a pair of runs on two hits and a walk in the seventh.
Cerami doubled to left and brought in Stephen Zavala (Whittier, Calif.) and Matthew Macey (Oceanside, Calif.) who followed with a sacrifice fly to right that brought in Cody Martinez (Whittier, Calif.).
The Poets picked up four hits on the day coming from Martinez, Pimm, Cerami, and Bradshaw.
Game 3 (Occidental – 6, Whittier – 5; 12 Innings)
The Poets had yet another opportunity to clinch a victory in the ninth inning in game two of the doubleheader but again it was spoiled by the Tigers' DeRaad who hit a two run shot to right that forced extras.
It took 12 innings for the Tigers to pull off their 16th win on the season as they moved into first place in the SCIAC Standings. DeRaad also picked up his NCAA Division III leading 11th homer.
Whittier brought in one in the bottom half of the first with Cerami beating out a double play ball that allowed freshman Dmitri Washington (Peoria, AZ) to score from third who reached earlier on a double down the left field line.
The Tigers rallied though getting two runs across in the third and fourth innings that put them in front 3-1 but it would be shortlived as the Poets would bring across two of their own in the sixth with a single to left from Bradshaw that evened the game up at three.
WC broke out for another run and took the lead in the eighth with a squeeze bunt from senior Bryson Kihara (Kaneoha, HI) that plated Washington that moved the score to 4-3 but in the very next inning the lead would diminish following the two run blast by DeRaad.
With the air taken out of their sails the poets bounced back to get a double by Macey and a single from Armando Valdez (Whittier, Calif.) to start off the bottom half of the ninth. After a failed bunt by Cody Reilly (Lakeside, Calif.), Pimm stepped up and delivered a single up the middle that brought in Valdez for the game-tying run.
The Poets had a good look to bring across the walk-off run with a runner in scoring position but a Martinez grounder and a strikeout by Cerami would end the threat forcing extra innings.
After two scoreless extra innings the go ahead run would eventually come in, in the 12th following a dropped fly ball in center and that would be good enough for the Black and Orange as DeRaad came in and shut down the Poets despite giving up a Bradshaw double and a walk to Marquis Kidd (Diamond Bar, Calif.).
Macey was charged with the loss going the final 4.0 innings giving up three runs on three hits. Daniel Gowanlock picked up his first win on the season for Oxy throwing the first two extra innings scattering two hits.
Bradshaw continues to rip the ball as he finished 3-5 with two runs batted in. Washington was 2-3 with two runs scored and Martinez was 2-5 with a run scored.
Whittier looks towards next weekend when they open up a series with Cal Lutheran University. They host the Kingsmen for a game on Friday, March 27 beginning at 3:00pm and will travel to Thousand Oaks, Calif. the very next day for a doubleheader with game times slated for 11:00am and 2:30pm.
