Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Softball team needed late game heroics Friday afternoon to pull off a sweep of Occidental College 7-6 and 10-2.

The Purple & Gold snapped their four-game losing skid and pick up their second sweep on the season, while improving to 10-12-1, 7-7 SCIAC.  They currently sit 4^th in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Standings.     

Game 1 (W, 7-6)

The first game of the doubleheader provided excitement with both teams combining for 13 runs and 18 hits.  Whittier went on top in the 2^nd capitalizing on two Oxy miscues.  Jade Sanchez (Whittier, Calif.) led off the inning with a walk and then was able to move up to second on a sacrifice bunt from Yolanda Oregel (Anaheim, Calif.).  Due to an errant throw, Sanchez was able to come all the way around to score putting WC on top 1-0.

Oxy bounced back in the top half of the 3^rd with two runs on four hits.  In the bottom half of the inning though Whittier again was able to scrap a run across using an error and a base hit to right from Brittany Attaway (Claremont, Calif.).  In the 5^th the Poets pulled away with a pair of runs.  An opening fielding error by the shortstop allowed Brianna MaGee (Torrance, Calif.) to reach.  Kacey Whitney (Cypress, Calif.) then singled up the middle moving MaGee to third and Hayley Wishner (Chino, Calif.) then stepped in and singled to the shortstop allowing the go-ahead run to come in.  After a fly-out and a double steal Whittier picked up another run this time from Hannah Angileri (San Jose, Calif.) who hit a shot to left that was deep enough to plate Whitney.

This 4-2 lead though wouldn't hold for the Purple & Gold as Oxy put together a comeback in the 7^th.  They got the bases loaded and nobody out and forced starter Sam Casanas (La Habra, Calif.) out of the game.  Amanda Melodia (Placentia, Calif.) then came in and allowed four runs to come across as the Tigers went on top 6-4.  But in the bottom half of the 7^th the late game heroics occurred with Whittier stringing together three runs on five hits for the walk off win.

MaGee started things off with a solo shot to dead center making it a one score game.  Whitney and Wishner then went back to back with singles and Attaway doubled down the left field line that scored the game-tying run.  But WC wasn't done there as Sanchez would go opposite field into right that scored Wishner giving the Poets the come from behind win.

Melodia picked up the win throwing the final inning.  She gave a run on two hits.  She improves to 3-2.  Whitney was 2-for-4 scoring three times.  Attaway was 2-for-4 with two runs batted in and Wishner was 2-for-4 scoring once and driving in another.  MaGee, despite going 1-for-4 scored twice and had an RBI.                   

Game 2 (W, 10-2; 5-Innings)

Whittier was on cruise control in game two of the doubleheader scoring 10 runs on 10 hits forcing the game to end after five innings.  Alexis Vargas (Pomona, Calif.) threw lights out going a complete game giving up two runs on nine hits.  She improves to 2-5.

The Poets struck first with a three spot in the bottom half of the 1^st.  Attaway drove in Wishner with a single to right and after two stolen bases, a passed ball, and a walk Naomi Martinez (Marina Del Rey, Calif.) doubled to right center that scored another two.

Insurance was added in the 3^rd with another four runs.  Attaway led off the inning with a walk and moved up to second with a Sanchez single through the right side.  A double steal and a walk to Oregel would load the bases and Emily Facio (Chino, Calif.) would bring in the first run with a sacrifice fly to center.  The very next batter Jannelle Ha (Arcadia, Calif.) then went yard for a three-run shot that moved the score to 7-0. 

Oxy got their only two runs in the 4^th sparked by Bailey Stevens who hit a solo shot.  But it wasn't enough to spark a comeback as Whittier put the game out of reach in the 5^th clearing the bases.  Wisher hit a sacrifice fly and after an errant throw two more runs were able to come in that ended the game. 

Whitney finished 2-for-3.  Martinez was 1-for-3 with two RBI's and Attaway was 1-for-1 scoring twice, driving in another and drawing a walk.  Wishner was 0-for-2 on the day but added a run and three RBI's.               

Whittier returns to SCIAC competition today, Saturday, March 30 when they travel to take on Pomona-Pitzer with game times set for 12:00pm and 2:00pm.